PHNOM PENH, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Monday emphasized the critical need to safeguard regional peace, calling it the essential foundation for development and prosperity across Southeast Asia.
He delivered the remarks in Phnom Penh during the opening ceremony of the 25th General Assembly of the Veterans Confederation of ASEAN Countries (VECONAC), an event that brought together veterans from across Southeast Asia.
"We must continue to jointly preserve and promote the value of peace as the foundation for the region's development and prosperity," Hun Manet said.
The prime minister stressed the importance of strengthening solidarity, friendship, and cooperation among ASEAN veterans' associations. He noted that VECONAC serves as a vital platform for exchanging experiences, knowledge, and best practices, while driving joint initiatives that offer tangible benefits to veterans.
"We must enhance the role of veterans as peace educators and as a bridge connecting the past to the present and the future," he added.
Hun Manet said that veterans' experiences provide invaluable historical lessons for current and future generations.
He urged VECONAC to actively share insights on the values of peace, reconciliation, solidarity, and mutual respect with today's youth.
ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) currently groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste. ■
