Ceremonies
Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia: January 6th
Commemorative ceremony to honor the victims who died during the Pol Pot regime.
KHMER NEWYEAR BLESSING CEREMONY
Each year, Cheoug Ek Genocide Center marks the Khmer New Year with a special ceremony to bless the staff and to bring offerings to victims through a religious ritual performed by Buddhist monks. Visitors are invited to join. The event is held annually on 8 April.
REMEMBRANCE DAY: MAY 20th
During the People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK) and State of Cambodia (1989-1991) periods, Remembrance Day was well organized by significant ceremonies in Phnom Penh and provincial centers throughout the country. These ceremonies acknowledged the hundreds of thousands of deaths attributable to the Pol Pot regime.
PHCUM BEN-FESTIVAL OF THE ANCESTORS
For many Cambodians today, remembering and grieving for family and friends lost under Democratic Kampuchea centers on the Khmer Buddhist “festival of the ancestors (Phcum Ben)”. This ancient commemoration takes place at the local wat of villages and cities throughout Cambodia. Phcum Ben is a fifteen-day period during which offerings are made to the spirits of ancestors.