Son Soubert

Educator, politician and humanitarian Son Soubert runs homes for underprivileged students and works to establish responsible politics in his home country of Cambodia.

Born in Phnom-Penh and educated in archaeology and classics in France, Son Soubert has a long history of involvement in the political life of his country. He became secretary general of the Khmer People's National Liberation Front and later helped his father found the Khmer Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party. In 1993, he was elected a member of parliament and went on to be elected second vice-president of the National Assembly.

In 1998, he was elected president of the Son Sann Party, and was later appointed as a member of the Constitutional Council. Most recently he helped form the Human Rights Party.

Son Soubert's commitment to people extends from the political arena to the humanitarian.

In 1994, he founded the Peaceful Children Home I. The home shelters about 120 orphan and street children. The Peaceful Children Home II opened in 1995, and now shelters about 52 children. To date, 32 of the children from his orphanages have gone on to obtain a university education.

The University of Lethbridge is proud to add to Son Soubert's long list of honours by conferring upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.