The National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV) is planning celebrations to mark this July’s 15th anniversary of Preah Vihear Temple’s inscription on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, and calls on the public to show national unity during the festivities.

The temple was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, during the 32nd Meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Canada. It is under the management of the NAPV, with supports from the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of Preah Vihear (ICC-Preah Vihear).

A July 27 NAPV press release shared details of the planned celebrations, which will take place at the temple.

“The celebration will be attended by Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona, representatives of ICC-Preah Vihear, as well as several distinguished guests including diplomats. Monks and students will also take part, with a total of 1,000 guests expected,” it said.

“To celebrate the anniversary, the NAPV plans to hold an alms offering ceremony to 77 monks on July 7. All Buddhists and members of the public are invited to attend,” it added.

Kong Puthikar, director-general of the NAPV, told The Post on June 28 that preparations were well underway for this occasion. He also called on the public to demonstrate national unity by joining the event.

“We welcome the participation of all. Please take part in making food offerings to the monks, in honour of the spirits of Cambodia’s heroic kings, especially the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk, for his struggles for the motherland and especially for the Preah Vihear Temple,” he said.

He explained that in addition to temple preservation work, the NAPV has restored forest cover to more than 50ha of degraded land surrounding the temple complex. It is currently growing almost 100,000 saplings of 41 tree species in its nurseries, in order to carry out more replanting work.