Mr. Ratanak

Mr. Ratanak NA grew up in Pailin Province, where the scars of war were impossible to ignore. Landmines still marked the earth, and many young people around him carried a heavy shame, believing Cambodia’s history was only made of suffering.

In 2009, while studying as a monk in Battambang, he began to see the deeper impact of conflict, not only in the memories of elders but also in the hearts of youth who felt disconnected from their own story. That turning point shaped his purpose: to help transform pain into healing.

In 2018, he started volunteering at the Cambodia Peace Gallery, using education, dialogue, and storytelling to support peacebuilding and reconciliation. The Gallery shares Cambodia’s positive history and offers peace education for young people, helping them look at the past with hope instead of fear. His commitment grew into leadership: Program Director in 2022, then Executive Director in 2023.

Today, Mr. Ratanak brings together victims of war, former soldiers, and the next generation, proving that peace is not a single moment, but a patient, courageous process. He welcomes travelers into this journey too, because changing a country’s narrative begins with one step, and that step starts with each of us.