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From ucanews.comCambodia hosted its first interfaith summit on Islam and Buddhism on 27 February, marking a significant step in promoting religious and ethnic harmony in the predominantly Buddhist nation. The event, organized by the Muslim World League, brought together 180 delegates from more than 30 countries.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet inaugurated the summit, emphasizing the importance of “solidarity and religious harmony in Cambodia.” The event underscored the nation’s commitment to interfaith dialogue and coexistence.
The prime minister reaffirmed Buddhism’s place as the state religion, while praising Cambodia’s progress in promoting good religious relations and peace. “Every religion guides its followers toward morality, compassion, and kindness,” Manet emphasized, recalling the good historical relations between Khmer kings and the Khmer Muslim community. (EAC News)
In particular, Manet noted the creation of the Halal Institution in 2016 to ensure that foods in Cambodia met the dietary standards of the Muslim community.
While Buddhism is the dominant religion in Cambodia, with approximately 93 per cent of the country’s 17.5 million people identifying as Buddhist, Islam is the second-largest religion. The country’s Muslim population, primarily ethnic Cham followers of the Kan Imam San order, constitutes about five per cent of the population. Catholics make up approximately 0.5 per cent.
Senior Minister Othsman Hassan, who oversees Cambodian Islamic Affairs and is a member of the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League, described the summit as a milestone in Cambodia’s religious progress. “Through this summit, Cambodia will be regarded by the whole world as a model country in providing complete ethnic and religious harmony to her people, without any racial or religious discrimination,” Hassan stated. (UCA News)
The Muslim World League, an international non-governmental organization headquartered in Mecca, receives funding from the Saudi government and promotes what it describes as “the true message of Islam by advancing moderate values.” (UCA News)
The summit took place amid Cambodia’s efforts to attract Muslim tourists, particularly from the Middle East, to diversify its tourism sector and reduce its dependence on Chinese visitors.
Visiting Cambodia, the assistant to the secretary general for International Relations and Communication of the Muslim World League, Mohammed Said Al-Majdouie, left, and the Cambodian prime minister, Hun Manet, right. From khmertimeskh.comAccording to the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, foreign arrivals increased by 23 per cent in 2024. China remains the third-largest source of foreign tourists, with 848,952 Chinese nationals visiting Cambodia in 2024—a 55 per cent increase from the previous year’s 547,798.
Visitors from the Middle East accounted for 430,000 (7.3 per cent) of the 6.7 million foreign tourists in Cambodia last year, reflecting a nearly 20 per cent rise from 360,000 in 2023. Additionally, Cambodia welcomed 123,000 visitors from Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, home to 283.5 million people, nearly 90 per cent of whom are Muslim.
In December 2024, Tourism Minister Huot Hak announced a five-point strategy aimed at increasing Muslim tourism. The strategy includes enhancing the quality of Muslim-friendly services and products, expanding flight connections with the Middle East, actively promoting Cambodia as a Muslim-friendly destination, fostering government-industry cooperation, and ensuring better awareness of Muslim travelers’ needs, including halal food options.
Cambodian officials have recently engaged in diplomatic outreach to countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to strengthen bilateral ties and attract more visitors.
The Islam-Buddhism summit aligns with Cambodia’s broader efforts to project an image of religious tolerance and inclusivity, while simultaneously leveraging interfaith diplomacy for economic benefits through tourism.
From eacnews.asia
