Cambodia’s Angkor World Heritage Site as a Source of Resilience Humanity and Innovation

This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, it also marks the 30th anniversary of Angkor being inscribed as a World Heritage Site.

Angkor, Cambodia, is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia and it joined the World Heritage List in 1992.

With impressive monuments, several different ancient urban plans and large water reservoirs, the site is a unique concentration of features testifying to an exceptional civilization, which thrived between 9-15 century.

A great example of the time are the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations.

UNESCO has been working actively with the Royal Government of Cambodia and civil society to leverage cultural heritage – sites and objects as well as intangible and underwater heritage – and the creative and cultural industries for sustainable development.

Home to a rich collection of diverse cultural heritage and dynamic creative sectors, Cambodia has three World Heritage Sites (Angkor, Preah Vihear, and Sambor Prei Kuk), and five Intangible Cultural Heritage elements (Royal Ballet of Cambodia, Sbek Thom, Tugging rituals and games, Chapei Dang Veng, and Lkhon Khol of Wat Svay Andet) inscribed on the UNESCO lists.

UNESCO is also supporting CAMBODIA in updating its Tentative List and identifying more heritage sites and cultural practices for inscription.

Together, let’s see how we can reimagine the future of heritage for the #TheNext50 years!