King Sihamoni requests new addition to World Heritage list

King Sihamoni requests new addition to World Heritage list

King Norodom Sihamoni requested UNESCO to include two more Cambodian heritages to the existing list of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the World Heritage site.

This is according to the Royal du Cambodge Facebook post on November 14, the Facebook post stated:

“On the occasion of King Sihamoni’s official visit to Paris, France, His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, King of the Kingdom of Cambodia, paid homage to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. His Majesty the King informed of the purpose of Cambodia in preparing the application for inclusion of Khmer traditional martial arts Bokator in the category of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Cambodia’s Koh Ker Archaeological in the World Heritage Sites with Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO on November 13.”

If Bokatar will be approved, it will be the 6th addition to Cambodia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, alongside the Royal Ballet of Cambodia and the Khmer shadow theatre. Bokator is an ancient martial art practiced by ancient Cambodian military groups. It is stated to be one of the oldest existing fighting styles that originated from Cambodia.

Koh Ker archaeological site in the other hand, is being requested to be added to the existing World Heritage Site. The site is located in Siem Reap Province in a remote site measuring 81 square kilometres. It was briefly the capital of the Khmer empire. Khmer Times