Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen speaks at an event commemorating the World Red Cross Day in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 8, 2019. The Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) collected 20.7 million U.S. dollars during an annual event marking the 156th World Red Cross Day here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Lay)
PHNOM PENH, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) collected 20.7 million U.S. dollars during an annual event marking the 156th World Red Cross Day here on Wednesday.
The figure represented a 15 percent increase from 18 million U.S. dollars the CRC raised at last year's event.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany, CRC's president, attended the ceremony and accepted cash donations from hundreds of donors, who are senior officials as well as domestic and foreign businesspeople.
Hun Sen expressed his profound gratitude to all donors for their support to the CRC and said that the CRC had provided relief assistance to almost 140,000 vulnerable families in 2018.
"This is the culture of sharing from the rich to the poor and vulnerable people," he said at the event. "Your donations are very important for the CRC to continue its humanitarian activities."
The prime minister said the CRC's work has greatly contributed to the implementation of the government's social protection policy.
At the event, the Chinese embassy to Cambodia also donated 10,000 U.S. dollars to the CRC.
