TAKEO: Prime Minister Hun Manet is asking Cambodians to join him in celebrating the inscription of Koh Ker Temple on the World Heritage List tomorrow.

Speaking at a meeting with nearly 20,000 workers in Takeo’s Bati district, on the morning of September 19, he said that he would be attending a ceremony on the afternoon of September 20 to celebrate the historic event, which will promote Cambodia’s cultural heritage on the international stage.

In the same speech he said that foreign culture should not be brought in or copied from abroad, but that Cambodian culture should be brought to the world. He noted the increased international attention Cambodia has received recently between the SEA Games, the ASEAN Summit and UNESCO World Heritage inclusions, which are opportunities to demonstrate the Cambodian spirit and morals.

The PM urged the people to participate in the Koh Ker Temple’s inclusion as a World Heritage Site by coming together on the morning of September 20 to celebrate by making noise with drums, gongs, or whatever they have handy. He said there will also be an event later that evening.

The display is meant to show pride and gratitude to the ancestors of Cambodia who have built the ancient temples and the Khmer empire’s foundational history.