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I never thought I would return to this place. I came back only to pay respect to my parents. Today, when I see young people visiting and listening to my story, it feels like medicine. It helps ease my suffering and gives me strength to continue.
One year ago, Cambodia’s memorial sites entered a new chapter in their history. The inscription of the Cambodian Memorial Sites: From Centres of Repression to Places of Peace and Reflection on the UNESCO World Heritage List marked an important milestone for Cambodia, while also affirming their outstanding universal value and significance to the international community.
The inscription recognized the historical significance of the M-13 Prison, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre as sites that bear witness to the atrocities committed under the Khmer Rouge regime. At the same time, it affirmed their continuing role as places of learning, reflection, and dialogue, where the lessons of the past can help build a more peaceful future.
For survivors and families of victims, this recognition carries a deep personal meaning. It affirms that their experiences, suffering, and memories are not only part of Cambodia’s history, but also of humanity’s shared heritage.
For Norng Chan Phal, a survivor of S-21, returning to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum has always been an emotionally challenging experience. As a child, he was brought to S-21 with his family after his father was arrested by the Khmer Rouge. Following the collapse of the regime, he survived and spent part of his childhood in an orphanage. Many years later, after working as an excavator and bulldozer operator on large-scale earthworks and experiencing an accident that prevented him from continuing this work, he returned to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, where he began a new chapter of his life by contributing to the preservation and daily operation of the site.
Returning to the site brought back memories of his childhood and the suffering his family endured. Yet, over time, the museum became more than a place of painful remembrance. It became a place where he could share his story and contribute to educating younger generations.
“I never wanted to return here again,” he explains. “But I came back because I wanted to pay respect to my parents. If I did not return, they would never come back.”
For him, the UNESCO World Heritage inscription represents recognition not only for his family, but also for the many victims who lost their lives during the Khmer Rouge period.
“This recognition is important because it informs the world about what happened and reminds younger generations to learn from history so that it will never happen again,” he says.
A Renewed Responsibility for Preservation and Education
One year after inscription, the Cambodian Memorial Sites continue to demonstrate that World Heritage recognition brings with it a renewed commitment to protect, preserve, and share the significance of these places with future generations.
The inscription has strengthened the responsibility of site authorities to safeguard historical evidence, enhance conservation efforts, and continue developing educational initiatives. Beyond preserving physical structures and archival materials, the memorial sites serve as spaces where memories are respected, stories are shared, and lessons from the past are transformed into opportunities for learning and reflection.
From UNESCO’s perspective, the inscription represents a recognition of Cambodia’s efforts to preserve its difficult [FB1.1]history and highlights the important role of heritage in promoting understanding, dialogue, and peace.
The inscription of the Cambodian Memorial Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List is a recognition of the importance of preserving memory and ensuring that the lessons of history continue to reach future generations. These sites remind us that heritage is not only about protecting places from the past, but also about using those places to encourage education, dialogue, and a culture of peace.
Flavio BonettiUNESCO Representative in Cambodia
Across the three memorial sites, conservation, documentation, research, and education continue to advance. Physical structures and historical materials are being carefully preserved, while survivor testimonies and archival records remain vital sources for deepening understanding of Cambodia’s history.
Through collaboration among Cambodian institutions, communities, UNESCO, and initiatives such as the PEACE Project supported by KOICA, efforts continue to strengthen memorial education and promote dialogue around the lessons of the past.
From Historical Memory to Peace Education
Perhaps the most visible impact of the memorial sites can be seen in the young people who visit them.
“When students first arrive at the memorial sites, they usually become quiet. Many are visibly saddened or shocked,” says Yang Chanra, History Teacher at Samdech Hun Sen High School, Krapum Chhouk, Preah Vihear Province.
“When they see the photographs, clothing, torture instruments, and other evidence preserved at the sites, they begin to realize that these events truly happened in our country. History is no longer something they simply read about in textbooks.”
For many students, visiting the memorial sites transforms historical knowledge into personal understanding. The stories they have learned in classrooms become connected to real places, real people, and real experiences.
Meeting survivors and listening to their testimonies allows students to engage with history through personal experiences and human stories, rather than encountering it only as a collection of dates and facts. They begin to recognize the importance of dignity, empathy, tolerance, and responsibility.
For Teacher Yang Chanra, the purpose of memorial education is not to create anger or division, but to help students understand the human consequences of violence and the importance of building a peaceful society.
“History helps us choose peace. When students stand at these memorial sites, they understand the human cost of violence and why remembrance matters. Our goal is not to teach hatred, but to inspire young people to value peace, embrace tolerance, respect human dignity, and help ensure that such tragedies are never repeated.”
Learning continues after students leave the memorial sites. In classrooms, discussions encourage students to reflect on what they have seen, examine the causes and consequences of genocide, and consider their own responsibilities in building a peaceful society.
Teachers often witness a transformation: sadness becomes curiosity, shock becomes reflection, and remembrance becomes a commitment to protect human dignity.
A Future Built on Memory and Hope
For Norng Chan Phal, these encounters with young people have brought unexpected comfort.
“When I see students visiting Tuol Sleng, I feel like they are medicine,” he says. “They listen to my story, encourage me, and help reduce my suffering.”
After carrying painful memories for decades, he now sees each student visit as a sign that remembrance has a purpose. His testimony is no longer only about the past; it is also about shaping the future.
One year after World Heritage inscription, Cambodia’s memorial sites continue to demonstrate that heritage is not only about preserving buildings and historical evidence. It is also about preserving memories, recognizing human experiences, and creating opportunities for education and dialogue.
From memory to recognition, from action to hope, the journey of Cambodia’s memorial sites continues. The responsibility now belongs to all generations: to remember, to learn, and to protect peace.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/one-year-after-world-heritage-inscription-memory-recognition-action-and-hope-cambodias-memorial?hub=701
