IGNCA organizes conference on 'Angkor Wat'

As an output of this conference, a roadmap for collaborative projects during next five years and documentation of the site by the joint team will be carved out. A total of eight foreign delegates from countries like Thailand , Cambodia , Vietnam , France will be presenting their papers along with twelve scholars from India.

At the inaugural speech Minister said that tourism is the best weapon against terrorism; through tourism, we can spread Indian civilization and bring worlds together. He described Angkor Wat as an embodiment of the crystallization of 5000-year-old Indian Civilization. The recent video on Yoga created by the Ministry of Tourism is another such effort to present Indian Culture in a crystallized form. He underlined the importance of spreading Indian tourism at Cambodia. The moot point in this effort is to highlight experiential tourism.

In his keynote speech, Padma Shree Professor Sachchidanand Sahai, presently Advisor Apsara National Authority, Siem Reap, Cambodia, urged that the Ministry of Tourism, India should identify Angkor Wat as a major tourist destination.

At the inaugural session IGNCA Member Sec. Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi said 'Angkor Wat is one of the important sites of 12th Century A.D. which has a connection with ancient Indian Civilization. The 'South East Asian Studies Programme' under the 'Area Studies Programme' of IGNCA is a major intervention to study the art and culture of Cambodia. IGNCA took a step forward on this road by signing a MoU with the Apsara National Authority in Cambodia, in order to study the common threads of culture in both the countries.'

Angkor Wat is one of the world's largest religious complexes in Cambodia, built by Suryavarman II.