Earth Hour 2023 – held annually in March – will be officially observed in Phnom Penh this year after the event was held last year in Mondulkiri province, according to Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra.

Pheaktra said on February 9 that the ministry, in collaboration with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cambodia, will jointly organise the event.

“The main purpose of celebrating Earth Hour is to encourage people to participate in protecting the planet and think about saving electricity and their own energy consumption by having people around the world and in Cambodia turn off their lights for one hour,” he said.

Pheaktra called on all people to join with the ministry to turn off the electricity at their house and begin using solar energy wherever possible to push forward the change to clean power.

“Furthermore, it is for the people to understand the value of the Earth, where we live. The Earth must have a healthy environment for us to have food security, fresh air and every other natural resource that is necessary for us to survive,” he said.

"And our dedication of an hour to the planet also contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change, something we must all share in."

Earth Hour will be observed on March 25 at 8:30pm local time.

WWF Cambodia said that collective positive actions of individuals towards the environment and nature play an important role in building a better future for planet Earth, nature and humanity. “Join Earth Hour 2023 with all of the Cambodian people and the world on March 25 at 8:30pm.”

Last year, state institutions as well as local and international civil society organisations and the private sector jointly celebrated Earth Hour 2022 under the theme “The Future We Wish For”, in Sen Monorom Park in the Mondulkiri provincial town.