Victory over Genocide Day in Cambodia Date in the current year: January 7, 2024

Starting from 1975 Pol Pot led the Khmer Rouge regime that was marked by changing the name of Cambodia to Democratic Kampuchea. The ruling party was responsible in death of over 2 million people who were executed and died of starvation, diseases or overwork. About 14% of Chinese left in Cambodia out of 425,000 during the Khmer Rouge regime. Teachers, lawyers, doctors and other professionals suffered great loss due their potential igniting of revolutionary movement.

The regime ended only on January 7, 1979 when Vietnamese troops arrived in Cambodia and started the assault that led to the toppling of Pol Pot and the fall of the regime.

Annual celebration of Victory over Genocide Day is a very important for all Cambodians. They call this day a second birthday because Vietnamese troops gave them hope for a better future. The celebration is usually marked by the remembrance services for the victims, speeches by government officials and cultural displays of the era. Cambodia Victory Day is a public holiday and a day off in the country.