PHNOM PENH, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Sunday celebrated the 10th anniversary of the inclusion of the Preah Vihear Temple and the first anniversary of the inclusion of Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site on the UNESCO's prestigious World Heritage List.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany presided over the celebratory event at the National Olympic Stadium here, which was attended by approximately 10,000 revelers.
Live broadcast on Bayon TV channel, the celebration started with speeches, video clips of the temple profiles, fireworks, and traditional arts performances.
Hun Sen said the inscription of the two cultural properties on the World Heritage List had brought to Cambodia high reputation and prestige on international arena.
"I would like to appeal to our people to continue supporting the government's policy in preserving temples throughout the kingdom," he said. "I also call on the compatriots to join in protecting the temples that have already been listed on the World Heritage List."
Meanwhile, the prime minister also expressed his profound gratitude to UNESCO, China, India, Japan and France, among others for helping renovate and preserve world heritage sites in Cambodia.
The 11th century Preah Vihear Temple is located on the top of a 525-meter cliff in the Dangrek Mountains in Preah Vihear province, about 414 km northwest of Phnom Penh, while the 7th century Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site is situated in Kampong Thom province, some 193 km north of the city.
Currently, three tangible cultural properties in Cambodia had been inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. The first one is the Angkor archeological park, which was included on the list in 1992.
Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting the country's economy. In 2017, Cambodia received 5.6 million foreign tourists, earning gross revenue of 3.6 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The Southeast Asian nation is expected to attract up to 7 million foreign arrivals in 2020 with estimated revenue of 5 billion U.S. dollars.
