AKP Phnom Penh, July 07, 2025 --

His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, has extended congratulations to the 17th Anniversary of the Inscription of Preah Vihear Temple on the World Heritage List on July 7, 2008 by UNESCO.

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the Inscription of Preah Vihear Temple on the World Heritage List. Being both a national treasure and a world heritage site, this inscription contributes to the care and preservation of Preah Vihear Temple, ensuring that it remains intact and is sustainably maintained within the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia,” wrote the monarch in a royal message on the Historic Occasion of Celebrating the 17th Anniversary of the Inscription of Preah Vihear Temple on the World Heritage List (July 7, 2008-July 7, 2025).

His Majesty the King also conveyed his gratitude for the decision of His Majesty the Late King-Father, "PREAH BOROM RATANAK KAUDH", who always took great care in preserving the national cultural heritage for his lifetime.

Moreover, he extended his deep appreciation and gratitude to all the Cambodian people, under the wise and brilliant leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, as navigator and currently succeeded by Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN MANET as the Head of the Royal Government, and with the participation and coordination of Samdech Vibol Panha Sok An in this conservation work. 

“This inscription has opened a historic new page in the Kingdom of Cambodia, where the world has recognised Preah Vihear Temple as a cultural and historical treasure, a profound legacy of the Khmer ancestors, left for future generations to preserve,” he underlined. 

His Majesty also deeply thanked and strongly supported the National Authority for Preah Vihear and the International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Sites of Preah Vihear Temple (ICC/PREAH VIHEAR), and for its ongoing maintenance, led by co-chairs representing the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China, as well as all cooperating partners.

Stretching widely like a ship on the ocean, the Temple of Preah Vihear stands proudly atop a mountain peak, offering a majestic landscape. The Khmer sacred temple, located on the Dangrek mountain range in Preah Vihear northern province, was inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 32nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on July 7, 2008 in Quebec, Canada.

Cambodia has so far registered Angkor Archaeological Site, Preah Reach Troap Dance (Royal Ballet); Lakhon Sbek Thom (big shadow puppet); the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple; Teanh Prot (tug-of-war), a popular recreational game; Chapei Dang Veng (a Cambodian two-stringed, long-necked guitar); Sambor Prei Kuk temple complex; Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet; Kun Lbokator, a Cambodia’s traditional martial art; and Koh Ker archeological site on the World Heritage List.

By C. Nika