Lbokator Master Urges Further Martial Art Promotion
Kun lbokator master San Kimsean has called on the government and Cambodians, including those abroad, to help promote the UNESCO heritage listed sport. Photo: Kim Makara
- By Nhor Sokhoeurn
- December 20, 2023 2:10 PM
PHNOM PENH – Kun lbokator master San Kimsean has called on the government and Cambodians, including those abroad, to help promote the UNESCO heritage listed sport.
“It is not always possible to get UNESCO listing and was not easy for us,” Kimsean said during a Kun lbokator tournament. “They check many points.”
Kimsean and other masters have tried to preserve the traditional martial art since the 2000s. Having faced a lot of problems, their effort paid off and they received support from the government and formed a federation in 2004.
Since 2010, the federation, with support from the government, prepared documents requesting the UNESCO listing.
“We’ve communicated with UNESCO many times in many years until they agreed to included kun lbokator in the UNESCO list in 2022,” he said.
Kun lbokator became more popular when Cambodia hosted the 32nd SEA Games in May and won eight gold, eight silver, and three bronzes for the host.
“Now that both kun Khmer and kun lbokator are popular in many countries, we need to move on and promote kun lbokator all together,” he said.
“Kun lbokator is famous. We cannot stop promoting; we must keep trying, joining hands to strengthen and expand it,” he said.
Lbokator School has more than 10 branches, in Phnom Penh and provinces including Siem Reap, Battambang, Pursat and Kratie.
