PHNOM PENH, 23rd March 2009 – Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap have announced today that it will officially support Earth Hour 2009, a global climate event led by the World Wildlife Fund, as part of the hotels’ environmental and community care programme Raffles REACH (Rendering Encouragement, Assistance, Care and Hope).

On Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm the hotels will be turning off their lights for one
hour – Earth Hour – and in doing so will reinforce the hotels’ commitment to operational
sustainability and care for the environment, as well as draw further attention to one of the world’s largest environmental issues: climate change.

Speaking about why Earth Hour is of importance to Raffles Hotels & Resorts Cambodia, the General Manager, Alex Kassatly commented “What is amazing about this campaign is the way it recognizes that when individuals work together, we can make a big difference. This is why we are joining the campaign to try and encourage as many other people to switch off their lights for one hour this March 28th from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.”
 
Raffles Hotel Le Royal and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor are offering a special promotion in celebration of Earth Hour. The signature restaurants will feature a candlelight cocktail reception with canapés and free flowing wines while turning off principal lights in the hotel.
The reception will be held from 8pm to 10pm and will be US$25+ per person.

More than 240 cities around the world have already committed to go dark for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m., as tens of millions of people from all over the world unite in a call for global action on climate change. From Bangkok to New York, city skylines will go dark for one hour as individuals, businesses, government buildings, schools and major landmarks turn off non-essential lighting in what will be the largest climate event in history.

“As lights go out in cities around the world on March 28th, Earth Hour will provide world leaders with an unmistakable mandate to negotiate a new international climate change agreement,” said WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. “The climate crisis threatens the ability of our planet to support its inhabitants, and it has never been more urgent that the voice of the people be heard on this issue. Earth Hour not only focuses global attention on the need to find solutions to climate change, but demonstrates the power that each of us has to make a difference in the future of our planet.”

For more information and to participate in Earth Hour, please visit
www.EarthHourUS.org/WashingtonDC.
 
Sourced = Raffles News Release