Students from the Department of Media and Communication (DMC) of Royal University of Phnom Penh visit the ECCC Resource Centre in October last year. ECCC
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) was honoured with gold at a global competition for archivists and records managers.
The Archival Games 2024, organised by the Sports Archives Section of the International Council on Archives (ICA/SPO), was held virtually, alongside the Paris 2024 Olympics. Entrants from around the world had the chance to demonstrate their archival expertise through short, creative videos shared on social media platforms.
The official announcement was made on 30 September at the IV International Seminar on Sports Archives in Girona, Spain. The Archival Games offered different categories of challenge – Speed & Volume, Speed, Endurance & Teamwork, and Freestyle – each designed to showcase the skills and creativity inherent in the archival profession.
The ECCC claimed the highest step on the podium in the Speed, Endurance & Teamwork category.
“Winning the first virtual Archival Games is a testament to our commitment to innovation and collaboration. This achievement reflects the hard work and creativity of our entire team at the ECCC. Together, we’re not just preserving history – we're redefining how it can be engaged with in the digital age,” said Tony Kranh, acting director of the ECCC Office of Administration.
The other gold winner was the Expatriate Archive Centre from the Netherlands, excelling in the Freestyle category. Silver went to the Archivo de la Diputación Provincial de Alicante in Spain and the Central State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art of Ukraine, while bronze medals were awarded to the Sri Lanka National Archives, the Arxiu Museu Marítim de Barcelona in Spain, and the Subdirección General de los Archivos Estatales, also in Spain.
Each winner received an official ICA/SPO certificate, acknowledging their achievements in these challenging and inspiring categories.
An ECCC statement explained that the competition served not only as a platform to showcase archival expertise, but also as an opportunity to raise awareness of the vital role of archivists, particularly in a country like Cambodia where the profession remains largely unknown.
“The ECCC's extensive archive includes key documents from the Khmer Rouge trials, meticulously preserved to international standards. With more than 233,000 documents, nearly 2.4 million pages including judicial decisions and orders, over 11,000 hours of audio/video recordings and 670 transcripts of hearings, the ECCC's work embodies a commitment to transparency and public access to historical archives,” it added.
Hard copies of the archives are available at the court’s resource centre n Phnom Penh, as well as in digital format.
“The ECCC's membership of the ICA further strengthens its ability to benefit from global expertise and share best practices in archives management. This collaboration strengthens the ECCC's role in promoting good governance, accountability and effective archival practices in Cambodia,” said the organisation.
“With this victory, the ECCC continues its mission to protect and promote Cambodia’s cultural heritage, reminding the world of the importance of archives in safeguarding history and justice,” it added.
