The Ambassador and his wife Sotie visited the spectacular temples of Preah Vihear and Koh Ker on May 24. These temples are being preserved and protected by the Cambodian government thanks to the contributions of people like Dr. Kim Sedara, an alumnus of The Fulbright Program and Chairman of the National Authority of Preah Vihear (NAPV).

“Preah Vihear Temple was closed for security reasons during my first tour in Cambodia and I have wanted to visit it ever since. Sotie and I were incredibly impressed by the mountaintop location and the excellent condition of many parts of the temple. It is a remarkable cultural asset that all Cambodians should be proud of,” said Ambassador Heidt.

The Ambassador met NAPV representatives, Member of Parliament H.E. Yara Suos, and officials from the Ministries of Interior, Culture and Fine Arts, and Tourism to discuss projects being implemented through partnerships like ICC-Preah Vihear. While there has been significant progress in protecting the temples, much work is still needed to ensure the full protection of these historic landmarks and to increase the number of people that can visit them.