Phnom Penh – On Friday afternoon of 6 September 2024, Samdech Rathsaphea Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly, received a courtesy call on behalf of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate, from Hon. Dr. Charles S. Yang, Hon. Dr. Michael Jenkins, and the delegation of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) at the National Assembly.
Samdech Rathsaphea Thipadei expressed sincere thanks to a dedicated working group and think tank that supports the development of the Peace Charter, which is becoming an important dialogue for the 11th Plenary Assembly on Peace and Tolerance hosted in Cambodia in November this year.
Samdech Rathsaphea Thipadei praised Samdech Techo for his wise and visionary leadership in building peace, national unity, and stability in Cambodia through the win-win policy. This win-win policy has become a key foundation for sharing knowledge and best practices with other countries around the world in peace-seeking.
Samdech Khuon Sudary reflected on Cambodia’s painful history, marked by a two-decade-long civil war during which people lived in dreadful conditions, almost like animals. Only Cambodians can truly understand this suffering. This experience, she noted, gives Cambodians a unique perspective on the horrors of war and the value of peace. She spoke passionately about the ongoing destruction caused by wars worldwide, leading to hunger, lack of food, and shelter.
Samdech emphasized that peace is not only for Cambodia and the region but for all humanity. She highlighted the importance of this event during a peaceful transitional period of power, noting the high voter turnout of 84% in last year’s election. She praised the new young leader, Hun Manet, for his energetic and intellectual commitment to improving living standards and achieving the goals set for high-income countries by 2050.
Hon. Dr. Charles S. Yang conveyed the best regards from Hon. Dr. Hak Ja Han (Mother Moon), Founding President of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), and all UPF leaders who have supported Cambodia’s democratic process, to Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet. He expressed gratitude for the Peace Charter, emphasizing that it is a contribution to peace rather than a tool for power or political negotiation.
Hon. Dr. Charles S. Yang admired the democratic process and transparency in Cambodia’s elections. Dr. Michael Jenkins also noted that Americans could learn about election transparency from Cambodia.
Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal, Chairman of IAPP for Asia-Pacific, who was an observer in Cambodia’s 7th general election, expressed that Cambodia feels like home to him and is always in his heart. He plans to invite the President of the National Assembly of Nepal for an official visit to Cambodia to foster cooperation between the two legislatures and their people.
The conversation also highlighted the need for regional and global cooperation, with a focus on cultural and people-to-people exchanges to build trust and respect between nations. The Global South was urged to work together more closely for peace.