Ladies and Gentlemen,

and Dear Students,

I am delighted to be with the students and teachers of the Cambodia-India Friendship School, which is a symbol of friendship between our two countries.

As the name of India is included in the name of your school, I am sure that you are aware of the ancient civilization of India, the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharat, as well as the life of Buddha. Since India became independent, it has focused on development and building its human resource capacity. Education has been given the utmost priority. Much credit for the progress achieved by India goes to the education system, that was established by the leaders of India, soon after its independence.

India has age old linkages and time-tested ties with Cambodia. We value our friendship with Cambodia and wish its people prosperity and progress. We are happy to have undertaken capacity building initiatives in Cambodia. So far, our involvement to large extent has been on higher education and professional training courses. Your school is special for us, as it represents the only area of India's cooperation in Cambodia, involving young students. Schools are where children learn about the universe, about the world, about their country and its culture. It is where the door of knowledge begins to open for them. In this, teachers have to play a very important role, by guiding children to become responsible citizens of tomorrow. I believe that better facilities and availability of basic infrastructure in the school plays an important role in encouraging students to focus on their studies. Facilities like libraries are beneficial for those students who wish to expand their vision and knowledge.

I am told that few months back, officials of the Indian Embassy visited the school and interacted with teachers, students and commune officials. This visit enabled us to understand your requirements. I am delighted to announce an amount of US $ 246,000 for the upgradation of infrastructure and facilities at your school. With these additional facilities I hope that the Cambodia-India Friendship School will emerge as an important centre of learning in the Province of Kampong Cham.

I convey my best wishes to all of you.