Long Beach honors 50th anniversary of Cambodian genocide with community remembrance event

The Long Beach City Council meeting on April 22, 2025, focused on commemorating the 50th anniversary of Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day. Councilmember Saro led the recognition, reflecting on the significance of the date, which marks the beginning of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia on April 17, 1975. This event was attended by community members and featured a presentation highlighting the resilience of the Cambodian American community.

Councilmember Saro expressed gratitude to the Cambodian American Cultural Center and the community for their involvement in the remembrance activities. She emphasized the emotional weight of the month, which includes both the Cambodian New Year celebrations and the somber anniversary of the genocide. Saro introduced a video created in early 2023 that aimed to honor the stories of survivors and promote a message of hope and solidarity.

The meeting included personal testimonies from community members, including Chamonta Sam Limon, who shared her experience as a child orphaned by the genocide. She highlighted the importance of remembering the lives lost and the resilience of those who survived. Another speaker, Supa, a second-generation Cambodian American, spoke about the cultural divide experienced by his family and the lasting impact of the genocide on their lives.

The event served not only as a remembrance of the past but also as a call to action for unity and understanding within the community. The speakers urged attendees to keep the memories of those lost alive and to foster compassion and reconciliation moving forward. The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue sharing stories and educating future generations about the atrocities of the past to ensure they are never forgotten.