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At the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, three important memorial sites in Cambodia, including the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, and the former M13 Prison, were officially inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List.
This decision is not only an international recognition of the historical and humanitarian value of these tragic sites, but also a powerful reminder of the genocide, while affirming Cambodia's efforts to transform these "site of crime" into "centers of reconciliation and peace".
Cambodia receives good news as three sites in the country have been recognized as World Cultural Heritage sites.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet immediately sent a meaningful message of welcome to all the people. In it, he not only called on the people to participate in celebratory activities held on the morning of July 13th, but also urged the entire nation to lay flowers and commemorate the victims of the Pol Pot genocide regime at all Cambodian memorial sites on July 11th every year.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet sent a welcoming message after three Cambodian historical sites were inaugurated.
The three newly recognized historical sites are part of a dossier entitled "Cambodia's Memorial Sites: From Crime Sites to Centers of Reconciliation and Peace," officially submitted on March 27, 2020. This is Cambodia's fifth cluster of cultural heritage sites recognized by UNESCO, marking a turning point in the way the country preserves and celebrates its heritage.
Previously, the honored heritage sites were primarily associated with ancient temples and towers, symbols of the brilliant Khmer civilization, such as the Angkor Wat complex (1992), Preah Vihear (2008), Sambor Prei Kuk (2017), and Koh Ker (2023). The addition of memorial sites commemorating the Pol Pot genocide demonstrates the diversity and depth of Cambodia's heritage, encompassing tragic but memorable chapters of history.
The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), located in Boeung Keng Kang 2 ward, Boeung Keng Kang district, Phnom Penh, was formerly a security office designated S21. It served as a center for brutal detention, interrogation, and torture under the direct control of the notorious butcher Duch (Kaing Guek Eav) during the Democratic Kampuchea regime's rule from 1975-1979. This site was also inscribed by UNESCO in the Memory of the World program on July 31, 2009, affirming its documentary and historical evidence value.
Located in Boeung Keng Kang 2 ward, Boeung Keng Kang district, Phnom Penh, this was a center for brutal detention, interrogation, and torture under the Democratic Kampuchea regime in Cambodia from 1975-1979.
Also located in the capital Phnom Penh, the Choeung Ek Killing Fields (Choeung Keng ward, Dangkor district) was once the site of mass executions of prisoners under Pol Pot's regime, after they were imprisoned and interrogated at Tuol Sleng Prison. This is one of the most horrific locations, where thousands of lives were brutally taken.
The Choeung Ek Killing Fields, where Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime brutally murdered people in Cambodia, serves as crucial evidence denouncing the cruelty and brutality of the past.
This tourist attraction has actually been scaled down, cleaned up, and only a few important relics remain.
Meanwhile, the former M13 prison site is located partly in Prey Chrov hamlet, Kbal Teuk commune, Teuk Phos district, Kampong Chhnang province, and partly in Thmar Kup hamlet, Am Laeng commune, Thpong district, Kampong Speu province. According to historical documents, M13 was a solitary confinement area that was under the management of the butcher Duch in 1972, before he was transferred to S21.
To strengthen the protection and promotion of the value of these historical sites, on February 25, 2025, King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia signed a royal decree establishing the "Cambodian Memorial Sites: From Crime to Peace," encompassing the three aforementioned historical sites. The royal decree was issued with the noble purpose of protecting and preserving historical artifacts and documents, while also safeguarding the environmental landscape, history, and natural resources associated with the sites. Furthermore, it aims to raise awareness, promote research and education to foster reconciliation and sustainable peace in Cambodia.
Many visitors were horrified and dared not enter the area used to confine the victims.
The recognition of these three memorial sites enriches Cambodia's heritage on the world map. In addition to the newly honored sites and previously recognized ancient temples and towers, Cambodia is also working to have several other sites recognized as World Heritage sites, including: Phnom Da and Angkor Borei, Banteay Chhmar temple, Beng Mealea temple complex, the ancient capital of Oudong, Kulen Mountain, and Preah Khan Kampong Svay temple.
Besides its tangible cultural heritage, Cambodia also boasts many intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO, showcasing the diversity and richness of its national cultural identity. These include the art of court dance (2003), large-scale shadow puppetry (2005), the folk game of tug-of-war (2015), the Chapei Dang Veng performance art or long-handled zither (2016), the dance art of Svay Andet Pagoda (2018), Lbokator martial arts (2022), and the Khmer checkered scarf (2024).
