REMARKS

His Excellency SOK AN

Deputy Prime Minister,

 Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, and

 Chairman of APSARA National Authority At the official opening of the

 University of Sydney’s “Robert Christie Research Centre” 

Siem Reap, 4 June 2008

 -     Her Excellency Ambassador, Ms. Adamson Margaret

-     Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

It is indeed a great pleasure and honour for me today to officiate at the opening of the University of Sydney’s “Robert Christie Research Centre”. Today’s event highlights another milestone contribution from Australia to development process in Cambodia, in particular the conservation and management of Cambodian cultural heritage.

For this special opportunity, I am truly grateful to share with you some brief thoughts on the important issue of the Cambodia’s Cultural Heritage and History, which is related to works to be performed by the Robert Christie Research Centre.

Cambodian people have inherited the exceptional heritage of Angkor which was built by Khmer ancestors during the medieval period. Not only does Angkor encompass religious temples in today’s Siem Reap region, it also refers to a great civilization that flourished in Southeast Asia between the 9th and 14^th century. In the capital city of Angkor, our Khmer ancestors constructed many sophisticated architectural features, irrigation systems and other water systems that formed the finest and greatest city in the world between the 9^th and 12^th century. Because of this greatness, the Angkor region was registered as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1992. The ancient Khmer empire, Angkor, is not only a great city from the past but it is also an attractive site for tourists that contributes to the development of today’s Kingdom of Cambodia.

Angkor still demonstrates, even today, its majestic cultural architecture involving religious monuments, irrigation systems, and man-made water bodies that show the talent and capacity of the Khmer ancestors to incorporate sophisticated technologies into a well-managed urban center, controlling and using the water from the natural rivers and streams. The archaeological features that have remained from the Angkor Civilization are invaluable legacies to enable further understanding of the technology as well as the artistic and ideological values, religious, socio-economic and political structures, and lifestyle of the Angkor Period.

One of the best ways to understand the lifestyle and ideology of the Angkor civilization is to study the bas-reliefs, motif, decoration and carvings on the walls of its ancient temples. Thanks to the presence of the Robert Christie Research Centre, now we have one more important opportunity to glimpse life of the Angkorians. The Royal Government of Cambodia strongly believes that the Robert Christie Research Centre, in coordination with the Cambodian APSARA National Authority, can become a force to advance the research activities of the Kingdom’s culture and history that will contribute to strengthening our national identity as well as to conserve and develop the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

On behalf of the Cambodian government and people, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government and the people of Australia for friendship, kind assistance and valuable contributions to rebuilding our country, including peace building and economic development from the period following past destruction and political strife until now.

Finally, I would like also to extend my deep appreciation to the initiative and effort of the University of Sydney in establishing this research centre. My thanks also go to the Cambodia’s APSARA National Authority for coordination of this important program. I am confident that the Robert Christie Research Centre will have great success in its ambitious activities in the years to come.

Thank you !