Education ads on Valentine’s Day

Before the Valentine’s Day celebration on February 14, Cambodian teenagers seem to express their pleasures and they are also prepared already gifts for their loves. But what is important is that they do not understand well the meaning of Valentine’s Day. Therefore, the ministry of women’s affairs produces the five-minute education spots in order to show them that Valentine’s Day is for their family, teachers and then friends.

The Phnom Penh Post quoted Sivann Botum, Ministry Secretary of State said that “we decided to created the advertisement to reach out to young people because we want to make them understand that most teenagers do the wrong thing on Valentine’s Day, which can impact the respect people have for Cambodian women.”

She added that women often offer their virginity to their partners without thinking about their future and the honour of their family and culture.

Tong Soprach conducted research for his master degree in public health on “Young People Talking About Valentine’s Day in Phnom Penh, 2008.” Conducting in-depth interview with Cambodian youths aged from 15 to 24.

At the mean time, his study showed that 76.6 percent of respondents in a relationship planned to give their partner gifts and 50 percent of which would be flowers.

Tong Soprach attributes the growing popularity of Valentine’s Day in Cambodia to the changing sociopolitical dynamic within the country.