• Society

December 7: A Day to Thank Angkor

• By Ky Chamna
• December 6, 2023 7:00 PM

SIEM REAP – The annual Angkor Thanksgiving Ceremony, held in the cultural province of Siem Reap, shows gratitude to those who have built and maintained the Angkor Archaeological Park for centuries.

This year’s celebration will run from December 7 to 16 and will coincide with the anniversary of the park being listed as UNESCO World Heritage on December 14, 1992.

“More than just visiting the temples, visitors can also get to know and learn about the intangible heritage such as traditional performances and religious activities”, said Hang Peou, general director of the APSARA National Authority, which manages the park.

The park, one of the most important UNESCO’s World Heritage sites as well as a cultural and historical symbol of Cambodia, has played a crucial role for the country’s identity, economy and tourism.

“The celebration also aims to motivate students as well as the public into understanding the cultural importance of the site and to develop emotion into protecting the ancestral legacies,” he said.

The thanksgiving ceremony began in 2021 to renew the country’s gratitude for the temples, to promote the country’s cultural significance on the global stage and to motivate new generations to understand the value of these historical assets.

The ceremony will see activities such as blessing ceremonies, archaeological site visits, exhibitions, traditional dances in areas such as in front of Angkor Wat, the Terrace of the Elephants, around Phnom Bakheng temple, Parvis Angkor Wat and more.

Angkor Archaeological Park, now covering 401 square kilometres, was an administrative centre for centuries. It contains many temples, pagodas, ancient bridges, canals, reservoirs and people living in traditional ways.

The park is about 320 kilometres or a 6-hour drive north of Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh.