Paris (FN), Nov. 16 – Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni addressed the 4th Inter-governmental Conference for the Safeguarding and Development of Angkor during the 42nd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO, held on 15 November 2023, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

At the same time, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay addressed the 30th anniversary of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) for Angkor and Sambor Prei Kuk,  on the sidelines of the conference.

On the occasion, the king said that Cambodia would take full advantage of the words of Audrey Azoulay's speech, which highlighted the legitimacy and proud ambitions, emphasizing the development of Angkor and Sambor Prei Kuk for another decade.

At this point, the model of the ICC implemented at Angkor and Sambo Prei Kuk will be as well implemented at Koh Ker archeological site.

"The great news of the inclusion of Koh Ker in the World Heritage List was recently announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the 45th Meeting of the World Heritage Committee. Cambodia officially submitted a proposal to inscribe Koh Ker in January 2021. Therefore, the ICC model will also be applied to the conservation, restoration and management of 76 temples and 169 archeological sites,” the king underlined.

On 17 September 2023, the World Heritage Committee inscribed Koh Ker: Archeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, on the UNESCO World Heritage List during its extended 45th session in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The UNESCO designation acknowledged the exceptional historical and architectural significance of the Koh Ker archaeological site and its Outstanding Universal Value, serving as a tribute to the enduring legacy of the Khmer civilization and efforts made by Cambodia to safeguard its treasures for generations to come of all humanity.
=FRESH NEWS