Phnom Penh, 5 July 2022 (TDI): This year, Cambodia celebrated the 71st anniversary of membership in UNESCO on July 3, when the organization reopened its office in Phnom Penh, in 1991.
The 71 years of partnership between UNESCO and Cambodia have yielded substantial progress in guaranteeing inclusive and high-quality education.
It also supports the preservation of World Heritage sites. This is in addition to promoting the preservation of World Assets sites and intangible cultural heritage.
🇰🇭🇺🇳 Cambodia Celebrates the 71st Anniversary of Membership in @UNESCO
Read more: https://t.co/R5C4K9XlfF | Via UNESCO Cambodia pic.twitter.com/NyxsOb7rrd
— United Nations in Cambodia (@UNCambodia) July 4, 2022
Some of the other changes include supporting science, technology, and innovation policies, as well as encouraging the protection of the environment and the creation of sustainable ways to make a living.
As part of its work to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNESCO is also committed to strengthening freedom of expression and media development for democracy.
Meanwhile, Samdech Hun Sen, Cambodia’s Prime Minister, congratulated on Cambodia’s 21st anniversary as a member of UNESCO.
Prime Minister further added that the organization was created with the purpose of encouraging international cooperation via education, research, culture, and communication in order to preserve international peace and security.
“UNESCO in Cambodia works under the United Nations Development Assistance for Cambodia (UNDAF) 2019-2020, which promotes education, the environment, communication and information, cultural heritage, freedom of expression, and natural sciences as a medium,” said the Prime Minister.
Expanding role of Cambodia in the United Nations
Cambodia is prepared to participate effectively in the United Nations in order to enhance its standing on the global stage.
Similarly, Cambodia was ready to be Vice President of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly for a year, from September 2018 to September 2019.
It is also a candidate for the United Nations Economic and Social Council for the whole year of 2019. Cambodia is a member of the Executive Boards of the UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS from January 2018 to December 2020, for a three-year term.
UNESCO-Cambodia
Cambodia was chosen in Paris to serve on the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property (UNESCO) in the Event of Armed Conflict for the second term, from 2017 to 2021.
Through its longstanding partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and other partners, UNESCO has advanced the Education 2030 and SDG 4 agenda.
It includes the strengthening of teacher education, and the support of the non-formal education sector to provide flexible learning pathways for learners of all ages.
It also contains the implementation of the Education for Sustainable Development 2030 country initiative.
In terms of media development, UNESCO supports improving legal frameworks so that all Cambodians can enjoy their rights to freedom of expression, universal access to information, and documentary legacy, especially in digital form.
UNESCO and Cambodia promote preservation of Cultural Heritage Sites
As a catalyst for international scientific cooperation, UNESCO promotes the advancement of science and its applications to strengthen environmental conservation.
It also preserves natural resource management in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, as well as Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) through policy harmonization and scientific and technological capacity building.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been actively collaborating with the Cambodian government and social organizations to utilize cultural heritage and creative and cultural sectors for sustainable development.
Angkor Wat on UNESCO World Heritage List
According to the Cambodian Prime Minister, the International Coordinating Committee for the Conservation and Development of Angkor Historical Areas (ICC-Angkor) was founded in 1965 after Angkor was placed on the World Heritage List on December 15, 1996.
ICC-Angkor is based on the requirements set by the World Heritage Committee for putting the Angkor region on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
This #TravelTuesday, come with us to Angkor, Cambodia.
Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia and it joined the #WorldHeritage List in 1992.
Together, let’s see how we can reimagine the future of heritage for the #TheNext50 years! pic.twitter.com/NcSywUtew3
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳😷 (@UNESCO) June 7, 2022
The Prime Minister noted that Angkor Wat was designated a World Heritage Site in 1974; Preah Vihear Temple in 2006; and Prasat Sambor Prei Kuk in 2019 by the UNESCO convention.
The UNESCO World Heritage List also includes the Khaw Khon Khol Theater, which was added in 2019. Similarly, Chapei dang veng, which was added in 2019, and Tug of War, and Royal Dance, were included in 2006.
Also, the Big Skin Shadow Theater was added in 1973. In addition, UNESCO is encouraged to consider putting martial arts on the African World Heritage List.
In 2021, the country successfully filed Kaoh Ker’s nomination dossier for potential inscription on the World Heritage list.
As limitations against the dissemination of COVID-19 were removed, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism reported that tourism sites welcomed more than 3.1 million foreign and local visitors in the first month of this year.
