Cambodia plans to add 7 tangible, 3 intangible cultural properties to UNESCO's heritage listing: PM

Release time：2024-05-07 16:56:34 Source：Culture Chronicle news portal

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Sunday announced plans to nominate seven tangible and three intangible cultural properties for inscription on the UNESCO's prestigious World Heritage List.

The seven properties aimed for tangible cultural heritage status include the former M-13 prison, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, Banteay Chhmar Temple, the site of Angkor Borei and Phnom Da, Preah Reach Troap Mountain historical site, Preah Khan Kampong Svay Temple, Beng Mealea Temple, and Kulen Mountain historical resort, he said.

The three properties planned for intangible cultural heritage of humanity list are Cambodian Songkran, traditional woven scarf Krama, and Khmer wedding tradition, he added.

"We will nominate these for the UNESCO world heritage listing, so our ancestors' cultural properties will be internationally recognized and preserved," Hun Manet said in a speech during the inauguration of achievements at a Buddhist pagoda in northwestern Pursat province.

He said that usually, it takes almost two years to have a property to be inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list and a country can add only one property to the list a year.

According to the prime minister, Cambodia will submit documents to register the Cambodian Songkran on UNESCO's list of intangible heritage in 2025 and is expected to be officially inscribed in 2026.

Songkran is a Sangskrit-derived term for the traditional New Year of the Buddhist calendar, which is celebrated in several Buddhist countries in Asia, including Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

Hun Manet said to date, the Southeast Asian country has four tangible cultural properties and six intangible cultural heritages listed on the UNESCO's world heritage list.

The listed tangible cultural properties include the Angkor Archaeological Park, the Preah Vihear Temple, the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, and the Koh Ker archaeological site, he said.

While the listed intangible cultural heritages are the Royal Ballet; Sbek Thom or Khmer Shadow Puppetry; tug-of-war game; Chapei Dang Veng, a long-necked, two-stringed lute; Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet, a dance drama at the theatre; and traditional martial art Kun Lbokator, he added. 

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