Genocide Classroom Forum for High School Students

Building on pre-existing Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge) education programs that were established using the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)’s curriculum, the classroom forums entitled ‘The Importance of Studying the History of Democratic Kampuchea’, are an engaging two-hour-long session that is intended primarily for grade 12 students. Working closely with school administrations, the sessions provide students with a forum that cultivates an atmosphere of reflection, critical thinking and constructive dialogue. The classroom forum project has conducted a total of 32 sessions since 2016 and has now reached more than 10,000 students. The purpose of these forums is primarily to educate students on the history of Democratic Kampuchea (DK) as well as providing lessons that highlight the importance of learning this history. Students actively participate in an informative discussion that also involves narrative history, human rights issues, the legacies of the DK regime, the process of reconciliation as well as genocide awareness and prevention. The distribution of A History of Democratic Kampuchea, 1975-1979 a textbook published by DC-Cam, is a key component of the Genocide Prevention Education Program and routinely elicits a positive response from participating students. The forums also provide an opportunity for trained DC-Cam/MoEYS officials to facilitate mentoring opportunities with local staff and teachers.