Venerable VY Sovechea

Venerable VY Sovechea is from a traditional Cambodian rice farming family.  He was born at the end of the Khmer Rouge Regime in 1979.  Growing up in a country at war, he became a Buddhist monk at the age of 14. While living as a monk, he continued his formal education and received his bachelor’s degree in Education Science and Teaching English. He also holds a master’s degree in General Management.

 With an innate belief that a Buddhist monk can and should play a key role of service to the larger community, Venerable Sovechea became involved and influenced by the Dhammayietra Peace Movement led by the Venerable Maha Ghosananda, a great Buddhist teacher, famously known as the Peace Monk of Cambodia. Venerable VY Sovechea is now one of the country’s leading socially engaged Buddhists. Not only is he working in cooperation with various Buddhist humanitarian relief organizations around the world, he is also committed to working to preserve the legacy of Venerable Maha Ghosananda by reviving traditional Buddhist education in Cambodia, which was nearly destroyed.

 Venerable VY Sovechea has had extensive experience in interreligious dialogue, both in the country and internationally. Under the auspices of Religions for Peace, he is actively involved in the International Campaigns to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions. He is also a liaison between USA and Khmer communities to improve educational opportunities like building schools, particularly for young village girls in the countryside. 

He also serves as President of Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, Battambang Branch. He is also a consultant to the Provincial Committee Concerning Buddhist Sangha Affairs in Cambodia and is a member of Dhammayietra Mongkol Borei’s Board of Directors.