More than 70 monks representing 22 provinces and municipalities met on March 9 to form the Association of Buddhists for the Environment (ABE).

M ore than 70 monks representing 22 provinces and municipalities met on March 9 to form the Association of Buddhists for the Environment (ABE).

They voted in a nine-member board of directors at the Preah Vipasana center in Phnom Penh.

The association will focus on a range of environmental issues, including forests, wild animals and aquatic creatures, said Hiek Sopheap, who was elected president on March 10 by the newly selected board of the directors.

He said the idea for ABE came out of an environmental study tour held in Kampong Speu and Kampong Thom provinces last year, which included 129 monks from Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.