From memory to possibility: Cambodia, courage and the power of staying

Cambodia has rebuilt itself through resilience, creativity, and the determination of its own people. Few partnerships show what that kind of change takes as clearly as the one between Angelina Jolie and Rithy Panh. Rithy, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge years, has devoted his life to making sure Cambodia’s story is told by Cambodians. Angelina arrived as a visitor more than 20 years ago and chose to stay, building a lasting commitment to the country’s communities. Their collaboration, which reached a milestone in First They Killed My Father, rests on listening, trust, and a willingness to stay for the long term. Their story is rooted in Cambodia, but its lessons are universal: lasting change is built alongside communities rather than for them; the people closest to a problem are best placed to lead its solution; and real progress for women and families is measured in decades, not project or funding cycles. Those lessons matter well beyond Cambodia: for every economy in ASEAN and for anyone who wants growth to be inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.