Cambodia Pushes for UNESCO World Heritage Status for Khmer Rouge Sites
Effort to Preserve History and Promote Education on Genocide
Cambodia is seeking to preserve three notorious Khmer Rouge regime sites—Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Choeung Ek Genocide Centre, and M-13 Prison—by nominating them for UNESCO World Heritage status. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA) submitted the nomination documents in 2019, emphasizing their historical significance in the context of the genocide. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge's rise to power, a period that lasted three years, eight months, and 20 days, leaving a devastating legacy.
The three sites were selected as a combined nomination to represent the systematic nature of the regime’s violence. M-13, the earliest of the three, served as a site for torture and experimentation in the early 1970s. It is linked to Tuol Sleng (S-21), where thousands of prisoners were held before being executed at Choeung Ek, known for its mass graves. Together, these locations illustrate the progression of the regime's brutality, which can now be remembered and learned from to prevent future genocides.
King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree in support of the nomination, reinforcing the importance of these sites in promoting education, reconciliation, and historical reflection. As Cambodia prepares for the 20th Francophonie Summit in 2026, the nomination is seen as part of the ongoing effort to honor the memory of the victims and emphasize the need for global awareness of past atrocities.
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The three sites were selected as a combined nomination to represent the systematic nature of the regime’s violence. M-13, the earliest of the three, served as a site for torture and experimentation in the early 1970s. It is linked to Tuol Sleng (S-21), where thousands of prisoners were held before being executed at Choeung Ek, known for its mass graves. Together, these locations illustrate the progression of the regime's brutality, which can now be remembered and learned from to prevent future genocides.
King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree in support of the nomination, reinforcing the importance of these sites in promoting education, reconciliation, and historical reflection. As Cambodia prepares for the 20th Francophonie Summit in 2026, the nomination is seen as part of the ongoing effort to honor the memory of the victims and emphasize the need for global awareness of past atrocities.
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