Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Celebrates 17th Anniversary of UNESCO Memory of the World Listing

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia is celebrating the 17th anniversary of its inscription into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. The listing was decided on July 31, 2009, in Bridgetown, Barbados, and the commemoration period extends to July 31, 2026. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, formerly a high school in Phnom Penh, was used as a political prison during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979). After the regime's collapse, it was preserved as a museum, exhibiting evidence and records of the atrocities committed at the time. The museum stands as a historical testament to the immeasurable suffering and tragedy experienced by the Cambodian people, symbolizing the dark era of the Khmer Rouge genocide. In 2009, it was also recognized at the UNESCO General Conference in Paris, France, as a "Monument of Peace and Reconciliation in Cambodia." This signifies its transformation from a site of past crimes to a symbol of reconciliation and peace. The museum's inscription not only serves to preserve historical records but also to convey the tragedies and suffering of war experienced by the Cambodian people to future generations, serving as a lesson to prevent similar mistakes from happening again. As the next generation, we deeply understand the horrors of war and share a collective determination to resolutely protect peace, which is the foundation of socio-economic development. Source: CEN Cambodia