Ambassador Williams (left) and education minister Chuon Naron both lauded the close links and ‘cordial’ relationship between their respective Kingdoms. - supplied photo
PHNOM PENH: The British embassy in Phnom Penh hosted a grand celebration on Wednesday (June 5) to mark the 76th birthday of King Charles III.
The event commemorated the significant occasion and also served to strengthen cultural and diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom (UK) and Cambodia.
Around 300 attendees from the government of Cambodia, diplomatic missions, education partners and representatives from civil society and NGOs joined the event.
“The King’s birthday party reception is a joyful moment each year when the embassy makes a special effort to celebrate our friendship with Cambodia and to say thank you to those we have worked with closely throughout the year, on everything from defence and security to human rights and gender equality.
“We have shared important moments with Cambodia this year – launching a political dialogue, working together on green and sustainable infrastructure and launching a major new environmental programme in Virachey National Park.
“But I am particularly proud of our partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport because I believe that the UK makes our biggest contribution to Cambodia’s future prosperity through our development programmes and commercial engagement on education,” said British ambassador to Cambodia Dominic Williams, as he addressed the event.
Hang Chuon Naron, Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, also delivered remarks, noting the education partnership between the UK and Cambodia.
He reflected on the “longstanding friendship” and “cordial” relations that bind the two Kingdoms, which are home to two of the oldest remaining royal institutions globally. He recounted that, anchored in shared interests and mutual respect, their relations stretched back to 1953, when the two countries established their diplomatic relations.
The minister said that the past decades have witnessed an exemplary state of friendship, with close cooperation flourishing in various areas of mutual benefit, noting the frequent exchange of high-level visits between the two countries which stand as a testament to this “strong” partnership.
He praised the UK's invaluable contributions to Cambodia’s education, saying the Chevening Programme, which has offered over 200 scholarships to Cambodian students since 1993, has nurtured a generation of talented individuals, some of whom now hold prominent positions within the government of Cambodia.
“I also take note of the contribution of British philanthropists to the operation of NGO schools in Cambodia.
“Let me also recognise the proactive and important role of ambassador Williams in promoting and supporting education in Cambodia, especially through the launch of the first UK University in Cambodia, De Montfort University, and the establish of a number of schools with British curriculum, as well as his contribution to the recent successful completion of the Cambodia International Debate and Public Speaking Championship Series, hosted last month by the IDP in collaboration with the education ministry and partner organisations,” said Chuon Naron. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
