In historic first for ancient Cambodian city, Franklin Graham will share message of hope in Siem Reap
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Dec. 4, 2025 – For the first time in its more than 1,000-year history, Siem Reap will host a large-scale evangelistic event—the Love Siem Reap Festival with Franklin Graham.
Lun Sophy, the vice chair of the upcoming festival said, “This is a historic event for Siem Reap and the nation. Siem Reap is known as the heart of Cambodian culture and religion. This makes the Love Siem Reap Festival a significant event in Cambodian church history and a breakthrough for the Gospel.”
More than 400 churches throughout the area are partnering with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to bring the free, two-night event to the former Siem Reap Airport. The program will include live music and a powerful message of hope from Rev. Franklin Graham on January 24 – 25, 2026.
“When the churches in Siem Reap asked me if I would come, I immediately said yes,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “Siem Reap is a beautiful and spiritually significant place, and I am excited to come share a message of hope from the Bible. This is a great and historic honor, and I am grateful to the hundreds of churches who are making this possible.”
Rev. Graham also preached in Phnom Penh in 2019. Nearly 25,0000 people attended the event in the capital, which was the largest Christian outreach in Cambodia’s history.
Him Meta, who was on the Love Phnom Penh Festival team, said the impact is still being felt today. “After the festival, I felt led to focus on discipleship. My husband and I saw the need to plant a church. We started discipling people, began a church in 2022, and just this last month we saw 12 new believers make a public profession of faith.”
Before preaching in Siem Reap in January, Rev. Graham will join Prime Minister Hun Manet in Phnom Penh for a special Fellowship Meal with Christians in Cambodia. More than 2,700 Christian leaders from all 25 provinces will meet with Prime Minister Hun Manet at the event, along with 300 government officials.
“The luncheon is an important opportunity for relationship and fellowship between the Christian leaders and the Prime Minister,” said His Excellency Ung Molyvann, Government Advisor of the Council of Ministers. “It provides a time for Christian leaders to pray together that God will bless the Cambodian Prime Minister with guidance and wisdom as he leads the nation.”
Festival Vice Chair Lun Sophy, said, “The meal with the Prime Minister is significant for the Christian community in Cambodia as it is a formal recognition by the Prime Minister of the Christian community. This is highly important because Christianity only makes up 2% of the population and is often misunderstood and seen in a negative light. With the Prime Minister’s recognition this resolves some of those misunderstandings and provides opportunity for Christians to share the Gospel with greater freedom.”
Rev. Graham cares deeply for the people of Cambodia, and this will be his third time in Siem Reap. In addition to preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, he also provides humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Rev. Graham has worked in Cambodia for more than 20 years, helping tens of thousands of families in need. During his last two visits to Siem Reap, Graham helped provide clean water for schools and supported efforts to reduce trafficking.
The two-night Love Siem Reap Festival is free and everyone is invited. Each evening will feature a message from Rev. Graham as well as live music from local musicians and international, award-winning artists TAYA and The Afters.
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DOWNLOAD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: https://media.billygraham.org/love-siem-reap-festival-with-franklin-graham-press-room/
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
- Journalists are invited to attend Love Siem Reap Festival at the former Siem Reap Airport on January 24 and 25. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
- Journalists are also welcome to attend the Fellowship Meal with Christians in Cambodia at Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center in Phnom Penh on January 22. Doors openat 8:00 a.m.
- Franklin Graham will be available for interviews in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The details for those opportunities will be shared soon.
MEDIA CONTACT: To request an interview or more information, contact Soeu Visai at +85512227308 or svisai@billygraham.org.
ABOUT FRANKLIN GRAHAM AND THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
Founded by Billy Graham in 1950, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shares the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. Franklin Graham held his first evangelistic event in 1989, and since then, he has preached at more than 345 outreaches in 55 countries.
Earlier this year, Rev. Graham proclaimed the hope of Jesus Christ in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Brussels, Belgium; London, England; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He will share the Gospel in Ushuaia, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Madrid, Spain, and Siem Reap, Cambodia, in the coming months. Franklin Graham is also looking forward to convening the Asian-Pacific Congress on Evangelism in August 2027, which will bring 2,500 Christian leaders from more than 50 countries and territories across Asia to Sydney, Australia.