Raffles Hotel Le Royal, one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic luxury heritage hotels, is celebrating its 96th anniversary this month with a grand charity gala and an inspiring art exhibition that honours young Cambodian creativity.

The hotel will host a charity gala dinner and art auction on November 24 at its award-winning Restaurant Le Royal. The evening will feature a gourmet three-course dinner with fine wines and a live auction of artworks created by children from Sunrise Cambodia, a local non-profit organisation supporting underprivileged children. All proceeds from the event will contribute to Sunrise Cambodia’s educational and welfare initiatives. Tickets are priced at $96 for two persons, and the event begins at 6 p.m.

Earlier this month, Raffles Hotel Le Royal unveiled a heartfelt art exhibition titled “I Spy – The Magic of Raffles”, encouraging guests to explore the timeless beauty and cultural heritage of the hotel through the eyes of Cambodian youth. The exhibited artworks, created by the children of Sunrise Cambodia, will also be part of the upcoming auction.

Dagmar Lyons, General Manager of Raffles Hotel Le Royal, said, “Through the eyes of Cambodia’s youth, this unique art project captures not just the beauty of our historic hotel, but also the essence of heritage, imagination and hope.”

The initiative involved 25 children from Sunrise Cambodia who participated in an art competition under the guidance of celebrated Cambodian artist Chhim Sothy, with support from artists Li Ming Hang and Emmeline Mulder. Their creative expressions of “The Magic of Raffles” reflect both artistic curiosity and cultural pride. On Children’s Day, five of the best artworks were selected and turned into limited-edition postcards, available at the Raffles Boutique, with proceeds going to Sunrise Cambodia’s creative education programs.

The 96th anniversary celebrations also coincide with Raffles Hotel Le Royal receiving the Green Globe Certification for the second consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable hospitality practices. The certification recognises the hotel’s excellence in energy efficiency, waste reduction, community engagement, and environmental stewardship.

The Green Globe programme, founded after the 1992 United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, remains the world’s leading sustainability certification for tourism and hospitality. It evaluates hotels on 44 criteria across four categories, supported by over 380 indicators.

As Raffles Hotel Le Royal celebrates nearly a century of timeless elegance, community engagement, and sustainable innovation, it continues to serve as a beacon of Cambodia’s cultural and environmental legacy.