For centuries, Buddhist monks have been influential figures in Sri Lanka, advising kings, shaping national identity and mobilising political movements. Today, some have found new audiences as media personalities on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok. While some monks promote hardline Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist narratives, Galkande Dhammananda Thero is challenging those ideas and offering a different perspective on identity and belonging. The Listening Post’s Meenakshi Ravi reports on the monks speaking to Sri Lankans from their digital pulpits. Featuring: Darshatha Gamage – Digital rights activist Saritha Irugalbandara – Tech & social media researcher Galkande Dhammananda Thero – Buddhist monk, Walpola Institute https://www.instagram.com/ajlisteningpost https://www.facebook.com/AJListeningPost https://bsky.app/profile/ajlisteningpost.bsky.social https://x.com/ajlisteningpost https://www.threads.net/@ajlisteningpost Subscribe to our Newsletter: http://aje.io/upic5 http://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-listening-post/ #srilanka #sinhala #aljazeeraenglish #news