Cambodia: Cultural Diversity from a National Point of View

Abstract

Cambodia lends itself as an interesting case study of the role of UNESCO in sustaining cultural diversity, as it presents a strong example of the importance of cultural heritage in the construction and promotion of national identity and in reinforcing cultural distinctiveness. Moreover, UNESCO’s active engagement in the postconflict reconstruction of the fabric of Cambodia’s cultural life allows for a rich discussion on the subject of the diplomacy of culture due to the involvement of a large number of international actors in this process of cultural revival. At the same time, present-day Cambodia being a postcolonial and postconflict developing country makes for a contrasting case study to those previously discussed, France and the United States. It is hoped the present discussion will enrich the debate by offering a developing country’s perspective on its needs, in terms of what it expects from UNESCO with regard to cultural protection and promotion, and vice versa. Thus the main question we are trying to investigate here is what the specific historical and political circumstances in Cambodia tell us about the place of culture in the country’s domestic and foreign policy and, consequently, about the shape and the direction of UNESCO’s action toward sustaining cultures around the world.