A significant fundraising event will be held on September 23-24 to support the construction of one of the world’s largest Buddha statues, as well as 84,000 smaller Buddha statues. The event is led by Venerable Chan Visal and Sok Kong, the chairman of Sokimex Investment Group, the company behind the project.

They aim to gather donations from nearly 3,000 participants, including monks and devotees from across the country. The 108m-tall statue, which broke ground in early January, is expected to take four years to complete. Besides the construction of the statue, Cambodian monks and Sokimex have also undertaken the task of carving 84,000 smaller Buddha statues, each corresponding to one of the 84,000 passages of Dharma.

The smaller statues measure 31cm high, 25cm long and 16.5cm wide, with four tiers and nine floors, meticulously fashioned from Bokor stone, known for its strength and durability. Buddhists interested in acquiring small statues have the option to have their names, along with those of nobles, grandparents and loved ones inscribed on these statues. The practice serves as a way to accumulate merit and uphold a rich historical tradition. The 108m-tall statue is fashioned in the likeness of a seated Maravijaya Buddha, and takes inspiration from the 13th-century Bayon Temple.

The statue will be built on a reinforced concrete base adorned with a gilded finish. The base, with dimensions of 248m by 186m, integrates staircases designed in the manner of Angkor Wat, symbolising the four cardinal points. Within the sanctuary, there will be 12 Buddha statues, with amenities for religious and cultural activities.