柬埔寨首相号召解决国内佛教司仪人才匮乏问题

据《phnompenhpost》报道，2009年7月22日，柬埔寨首相洪森表示，柬埔寨宗教事务部和柬埔寨文化艺术部应该共同合作来改善佛教司仪的培训和和招收状况，解决佛教司仪人才匮乏的局面，使每年在柬埔寨全国举办的婚礼等仪式有足够的司仪。

7月22日，为柬埔寨文化讲习班致闭幕词时，柬埔寨首相洪森表示，现在，柬埔寨每年至少会有5000场婚礼举行。佛教司仪的匮乏已成为了一个严重的问题。

佛教司仪，也叫achar，是在诸如婚礼葬礼等传统仪式上负责主持、管理祈福仪式的人。

宗教事物部部长Min Khin 23日表示，柬埔寨宗教事务部已经和僧众以及司仪委员会召开会议研究首相洪森最初于5月份提出的佛教司仪人才匮乏问题，并预计于今年8月份开设一个这方面的讲习班。

Min Khin表示，为了解决这个问题，政府应该设立司仪培训的国家标准并在全国分发教材。

据悉，在22号，洪森还批评了婚典上切蛋糕的习俗，他表示这种习俗更加适用于外国人而不是柬埔寨人。（编译：子规）

PRIME Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that the Ministry of Cults and Religions and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts should cooperate to address the shortage of Buddhist laymen by improving training and recruiting practices, particularly given the abundance of weddings and other ceremonies that take place throughout the Kingdom each year.

"Nowadays, the shortage of laymen [in Cambodia] is a serious crisis," Hun Sen said during his closing remarks at a workshop on Cambodian culture Wednesday.

Buddhist laymen, known in Khmer as achar, are responsible for presiding over and administering blessings at traditional ceremonies, including weddings and funerals.

In his speech, Hun Sen estimated that there are at least 5,000 wedding celebrations around the country each year.

Minister of Cults and Religions Min Khin said Thursday that the ministry conducted meetings with monks and layman committees to research the problem after Hun Sen first mentioned the layman shortage in May.

He said a workshop on the issue was scheduled for August.

To solve the problem, Min Khin said officials needed to establish national standards for the training of laymen and to distribute educational materials throughout the country.

Also Wednesday, Hun Sen criticised the practice of cake-cutting at wedding celebrations, a practice he said was more appropriate for foreigners than for Cambodians.