Sayalay Ketumala is a Theravada Buddhist nun from Myanmar who works in Yangon as an educator, facilitator and advocate. Through her extensive writing and interfaith work, she has become a voice for women across her country. By advocating for gender parity in Buddhist practice, she has also inspired women across all faiths.

In a country suffering from religious conflict, Sayalay focuses on opening up her heart, learning from others, building bridges and discovering genuine connections across faiths.

“If we are able to listen to each other, there will be less conflict. Through compassion and understanding, I believe that we can build a more peaceful society.”

Sayalay completed the Fellows programme in 2019. Through her Fellows initiative, she trained young Buddhist nuns from around Myanmar on Buddhist approaches to conflict transformation, the future of gender roles in Buddhism and the practice of interreligious dialogue.