PURSAT, Cambodia – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced plans on March 31 to nominate seven tangible and three intangible cultural properties for inscription on Unesco’s prestigious world heritage list.
The seven properties for which tangible cultural heritage status is to be sought are the former M-13 prison, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre; 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 the intangible cultural heritage of humanity list are the Cambodian Songkran, traditional woven scarf krama and the Khmer wedding tradition, he added.
“We will nominate these for the Unesco world heritage listing, so our ancestors’ cultural properties will be internationally recognised and preserved,” Mr Hun Manet said in a speech during the inauguration of achievements at a Buddhist pagoda in north-western Pursat province.
He said that usually, it takes almost two years to have a property be inscribed on the world heritage list of the United Nations’ cultural agency, 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 it 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.
Mr Hun Manet said that to date, the South-east 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 comprise the Angkor Archaeological Park, the Preah Vihear Temple, the temple zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, and the Koh Ker archaeological site, he said.
The listed intangible cultural heritages are the Royal Ballet; Sbek Thom or Khmer Shadow Puppetry; a traditional 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. XINHUA
