Cambodia celebrated International Buddhist Day on 8 April with a royal message issued by the reigning king, Norodom Sihamoni. This year’s theme for International Buddhist Day was titled: “Strengthening Solidarity and Promoting Peace through the Path of Buddhism.” The website Cambodianess highlighted how His Majesty, of the House of Norodom, “underscored that the celebration of International Buddhist Day in the kingdom aims to promote the values of Buddhism and serve as a means of prayer for global peace and the well-being of humanity.” (Cambodianess) He also expressed his profound joy and extended his warmest congratulations to all Buddhist monks and Cambodian citizens across the country.

As the newspaper Khmer Times noted, 8 April was designated International Buddhist Day by the government (first in 2014 and formalized 10 years later in 2024) “to promote Buddhism as the state religion, enhancing international relations with Buddhist countries, and disseminating the Buddhist path to peace in society and the world.” (Khmer Times) It was also a nod to Cambodian-Japanese relations. A devout Buddhist, the king was bestowed the honorary title of “Preah Sri Loka Dhammika Raja” by the World Buddhist Supreme Conference an international, Japanese-led body of Buddhist leaders in recognition of his role in spreading the Dharma. The World Buddhist Supreme Conference has led, with varying success, a campaign to establish 8 April as a common, internationally recognized Vesak or Buddha Jayanti.

The king described the significance of International Buddhist Day as “a most precious event observed in accordance with the solar calendar, offering Buddhist followers and the public an opportunity to understand the meaning of Buddhism, unity and solidarity among all Buddhist sects.” He noted that the celebration encourages proper conduct and the dissemination of Buddhist principles. He further stated: “This supports efforts to strengthen unity, promote respect for Buddhism, and build peace and religious harmony in our national society and throughout the world.” (Cambodianess)

Highlighting Cambodia’s role, he added, “In Cambodia, people annually hold this event with the purpose of promoting the value of Buddhism and disseminating the Buddha’s Dhamma, which symbolizes prayers for world peace and human well-being.” (Cambodianess)

The king highlighted how this celebration should aim to foster unity and harmony among all Buddhist fraternities or nikayas. He also encouraged Buddhist devotees to “adhere closely to the teachings of the Buddha.” He also stressed that the sharing widely the Buddha’s teachings would be beneficial for many aspects of national development. (Cambodian People’s Party)

Deputy prime minister Hang Chuon Naron emphasized in a speech marking International Buddhist Day the relevance of the Dharma amid global challenges. He pointed to the armed conflicts (especially relevant for Cambodia after a difficult military struggle with Thailand last year), economic tensions, climate change, environmental degradation, and social divisions plaguing the world in the 21st century. He said that Buddhism offers a “vital framework for promoting unity, compassion and non-violence, helping to foster understanding and sustainable development.” (Khmer Times)

Buddhism has enjoyed a long presence in Cambodia, a constitutional monarchy with an elected monarch. It has been integral to Cambodian culture since at least the fifth century, evolving from early Mahayana and Hindu influences to become the predominant Theravada tradition by the 13th century. It thrived during the Khmer Empire (c. 802–1431) and the post-Angkor period (1431–1863), but suffered near-complete destruction under the Khmer Rouge (1975–79). It has since seen a robust revival since 1993 as the kingdom’s state religion.

According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Cults and Religious Affairs, there are currently more than 5,000 pagodas with a total of nearly 70,000 monks in the country. In particular, Cambodia’s main Buddhist community is dominated by the Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, which have been present in what is today modern Cambodia since 1855. Ven. Am Limheng is currently the Supreme Patriarch of the Maha Nikaya.

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King Sihamoni Links Buddhism to Global Peace (Cambodianess)
Cambodian Monarch Highlights International Buddhist Day as a Path to Global Peace and Human Well-being (Cambodian People’s Party)
Government marks April 8 annually as International Buddhist Day (Khmer Times)
King calls for unity and peace on Buddhist Day (Khmer Times)
Invited as the guests of honor: State ceremony of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the Buddhist Summit delegation (Buddhist Summit)
April 8 Set as International Buddhist Day in Cambodia (Ministry of Information)
Sub-decree on the ‘International Buddhist Day’ (International Business Chamber Cambodia)

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