Our Program is always start every first and third Monday each month. Arrival On your arrival we will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your accommodation. You can arrive anytime before you start your volunteering, but the new, intense 2 days- Orientation, in order to prepare you for your stay perfectly, will start on the 1st and 3rd Monday, including language lesson(s). Of course everyone will get at least the usual, small orientation, but the intense one can only be hold twice a months. Please be aware that Cambodia has a lot of public holidays during which there can't be any Orientation hold as offices are closed. You can of course still come if you are interested in seeing some festivities, but please be aware that your actual volunteering (work start) will be delayed. Please see the most important ones below. Working Time Depending on the needs of the placement organization, volunteers usually work around 30-40 hours per week. Office hours are usually 8-12 and 2-5, but that always depends on the working place and should just be a general guideline. You will have the weekends off, some time to explore Cambodia!

Public Holidays Cambodia 2010

January 1^st :           International New Year

                           Celebrates the New Year with spectacular fireworks

 January 7^th :           Victory Day on the Genocide Regime

Victory Over the Genocidal Regime Day, or Commemoration of the Fall of the Khmer Rouge, marks the end of the Pol Pot led genocide of 1.7 million Cambodians during the 1970s, out of a population of 7 million.

 February 18^th :        Makha Bucha Day

This is a Buddhist ceremony, which is held during the full moon of the month of Meak in commemoration of the spontaneous gathering of the monks to listen to the Buddha’s preaching. 

February 3^rd  : Chinese New Year
First new moon in the Chinese lunar calendar. An important celebration to Cambodians with chinese origin. 

March 8^th :                 International Women’s Day

Cambodia celebrates International Women's Day with activities including a goods exhibition in Phnom Penh sponsored by the Ministry of Women's Affairs. The exhibition displays more than 100 kinds of goods produced by Cambodian women, including scarves, silk handbags and food products.

The exhibition shows that women can be self-reliant and independent.

Cambodian people sing a song during the campaign to celebrate International Women's Day.

 April 14^th-16^th  :      Khmer New Year

Monday 18^th off    Following the end of the harvest season the Khmer New Year is celebrated by everyone visiting the temples to receive blessings from the monks and priests. They build a sand hill on the temple grounds and decorate it with five religious flags one on the top and four around the side representing Buddha’s five disciples.

The people of Cambodia follow a tradition to sprinkle holy water on each other’s faces in the morning, on the chest in the afternoon and on the feet in the evening.

On Moha Sangkran (the 1^st day of the New Year) everyone cleans and lights up their homes to welcome Gods angles, which they believe, come to earth to take care of its creations.

On Vanabot (the 2^nd day) people offer charity and alms to the poor.

On Leung Sakk (3^rd day) people wash all idols of Buddha with scented water.

 YOU MAY HAVE A WHOLE WEEK HOLIDAY

 May 1^st      :          International Labour Day

Monday 2^nd off : Celebrates the rights of the employees

 May 13^th-15^th   :     King Norodom Sihamoni’s Birthday

Monday 16^th off        Born on May 14^th 1953, His Majesty’s Birthday is celebrated with fireworks going off in Phnom Penh.

May 17^th :                 Visakha Bucha Day

                                    This day commemorates the anniversary of the birth and illumination of the Buddha.

 May 21^th :                Royal Ploughing Day

This day is celebrated at the beginning of the sowing and planting season. Every year the cultural ceremony takes place in the large park next to the Royal Palace and in front of the National Museum. Cambodia has a deep connection with the earth and farming. There is a deep astrological belief that the Royal Ox has an instrumental role in determining the fate in the agricultural harvest each year.

The King ploughs the field and the Queen sows seeds behind. The field is ploughed in three circles. The royal servant drives a Royal Ox to holy trays to selectively consume food and beverages. The royal soothsayers interpret what the ox has eaten.

During this festival both men and women can be seen wearing brightly coloured Khmer traditional costumes.

June 1^st :                 International Children’s Day

Celebrates the rights of the children

 June 18^th :              Queen Mother’s Birthday

Monday 20^th off       Queen Mother Monineath’s Birthday, She was born as Paule-Monique Izzi in Saigon, Vietnam in 1936, and is of French-Italian descent. She was the 7th wife of the previous Cambodian King. 

September 24^th :     Constitution

Celebrates the day King Sihanouk signed the Cambodian constitution. This public holiday called to celebrate the anniversary of promulgation of the country’s new constitution on the same day in 1993. This constitution was adopted by a constitutional assembly elected under the auspices of the United Nations, which administered the country in 1992 and 1993 pursuant to the Paris Peace Agreements of 1991 that put an end to the war in the country.

September 26^th -28^th  Bonn Dak Ben & Bonn Pchum Ben

The Spirit Commemoration Festival is held for the spirits of the dead. For Bonn Dak Ben, food is offered to monks for 14 days. The 15th day of the festival is called Bonn Phchom Ben; people join this festival at a pagoda to make offerings for the spirits of their ancestors. During this celebration, if departed souls do not find their family making offerings at a pagoda, it is believed that the souls will curse and bother the descendents throughout the year.

YOU MAY HAVE A WHOLE WEK HOLIDAY

October 29^th            King Silhamoni Coronation Day

Royal Coronation of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia.

October 31^st             King Father Norodom Silhanouk’s Birthday

King Father Norodom Sihanouk, the former king of Cambodia, was born on 31 October 1922 in Phnom Penh Capital.
This celebration revering the country’s influential king is held on 31 October annually. Provincial residents, who would ordinarily have no reason to visit Phnom Penh, will save up and make this occasion their sole visit to the capital to join in the festivities.

November 9^th           Independence Day

A military parade, carnival floats and national achievements mark Independence Day, which Cambodia achieved from France in 1953.

November 9^th-11^th   Water Festival

The Water Festival, which ushers in the fishing season and marks the reversing of the current in the Tonlé Sap, is a spectacle to behold. At the height of the rainy season, the water in the Mékong River that strongly flows back to the Tonlé Sap forces its current to reverse northwest to the Great Lake. As the water level begins to subside, the current reverses its direction again.
Boat races are jubilantly held in Phnom Penh Capital. Racing boats and rowers come from several parts of the country to join that competition. The festival draws thousands of the castors from all walks of life to the riverbanks to watch long boat races, fireworks and a flotilla of lighted ships under the full moon. There is often a parallel festival at Angkor Wat and although it is smaller in scale, it is just as impressive due to the backdrop of Angkor Wat.
The boat racing dates back to ancient times marking the strength of the powerful Khmer marine forces in the Khmer Empire.

December 10^th      International Human Rights Day

Thousands of Cambodians take to the streets to march in protest against violating human rights. After the march there are many speeches from political leaders.

In the evening there are sketches held of various acts related to human rights for children and adults to enjoy.  Experience this event with Star Kampuchea.

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