other high-profile pardons include that of land rights activist Tep Vanny and Australian filmmaker James Ricketson. Elections 2022 and ASEAN summitry In the 2022 communal elections, he reiterated his call for all eligible Cambodians to participate in the civic process by exercising their right to vote, and to “not worry about oppression, threats or intimidation from any person or party at all”, something that he had previously urged a few years back in the 2017 communal elections. At the ASEAN summit in November 2022, Sihamoni hosted regional leaders at the royal palace where he reinforced Cambodia’s commitment to the bloc of nations and emphasized the continued importance of inter-state collaboration in addressing contemporary issues. Later, at the interrelated 43rd General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, he further touched upon several topics. This included the centrality of peace in relation to socio-economic development, healthcare and educational investment, concern regarding the Myanmar conflict, the impact of increasing tensions between global powers, the threat of nuclear weapons, climate change, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. General election 2023 In February 2023, several months ahead of the July general election, Sihamoni once again advocated, as he has done in prior years, for electoral participation amongst the public and for free and fair elections to take place. His call was backed by the National Election Committee whom urged the citizenry to heed the King's message, despite insinuations of bias levelled against him by former opposition leader Rainsy. These claims were roundly rejected and condemned by government officials, including multiple cabinet ministers. Cultural advocacy Sihamoni also remains an ardent advocate for Cambodian arts and culture. For instance, in 2006, when he was designated by the International Theatre Institute as its 'Message Author' for International Dance Day, he extolled the symbolism and virtue of dance, with reference to the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. In 2012, he presided over the opening of L'ombrello di Beatocello, a documentary film by Georges Gachot showcasing the life's work of famed Swiss pediatrician, Beat Richner. Likewise, in 2017, he did the same at the global premiere of acclaimed Cambodian-based film, First They Killed My Father, directed by Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie, documenting the experiences of Loung Ung, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge. The King is a strong proponent of buddhism and of the integral place it maintains in the cultural life of the Khmer nation, and he usually