News

The government did everything in its power to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the three days in April 4-6 he was in Sri Lanka. The country is known for its hospitality and the government exceeded expectations in its hospitality. There were children to greet the prime minister at the airport along with six cabinet ministers. There was a large banner that described the Indian prime minister in glowing terms. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also conferred the Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana Award, the country’s highest award, to Prime Minister Modi in appreciation of friendship and cooperation. The role that the Indian government under him played in saving Sri Lanka from economic disaster three years ago would merit him nothing less. The gesture was not merely humanitarian; it was also an astute expression of regional leadership rooted in a philosophy of “neighbourhood first,” a cornerstone of Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy.

As part of NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project, supported by Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (SCOPE) and Co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office, four universities - Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL), University of Jaffna (UOJ), University of Ruhuna (UOR) and Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (SUSL) - have completed 12 research studies aimed at fostering reconciliation, unity and social harmony. The studies were carried out under two key thematic areas: issues impacting ethnic tension and/or relations in the area and fading cultural or traditional practices that foster unity and societal harmony. Each university completed three research projects, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of these critical issues.

NPC’s Women Organized for Inclusion through Community Engagement (WOICE) project, which is supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), held a zoom session on women empowerment and resource mobilisation, which brought together over 60 women and youth leaders from the Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Polonnaruwa districts.

NPC’s Action for Religious Coexistence (ARC) project conducted a mediation training session in Ampara that brought together 40 participants including Local Inter Religious Committee (LIRC) members, Community Based Organization (CBO) representatives, youth leaders and government officials. The training session aimed to equip participants with essential conflict resolution skills to mediate religious freedom related disputes effectively.

A residential workshop was conducted to enhance the capacity of government officials in the Kandy District under NPC’s Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation and Social Justice (PAIRS) project in collaboration with the Kandy District Inter Religious Committee. The workshop brought together 33 senior officers including the District Secretary, two Additional District Secretaries, the Assistant District Secretary, Divisional Secretaries, senior staff from the District Secretariat and the NGO Coordinator.

A mentoring and training session for selected youth representatives in the Colombo District was organized under NPC’s ACED project, which is supported by the European Union, and is part of advocacy efforts to promote youth quotas across all tiers of government. It aims to enhance youth participation in electoral processes and empower them to take an active role in shaping democratic governance.

NPC, under its Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation, and Social Justice (PAIRS) project supported by Misereor and CAFOD, conducted a residential workshop focused on inclusion, reconciliation and social justice, bringing together NGO coordinators and National Integration Officers from 25 District Secretariats.

Youth are being empowered to participate in the electoral process and ensuring their representation at all levels of government under NPC’s Active Citizens for Elections and Democracy (AECD) project, which is supported by the European Union.

NPC’s Women Organized for Inclusion through Community Engagement (WOICE) project supported by NED conducted an issue mapping programme in Badulla to identify community challenges from a grassroots perspective. Three key issues were prioritised, setting the stage for meaningful action.

A progress review meeting under NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project, supported by Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (SCOPE) co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office, was held in Batticaloa bringing together officials from the Batticaloa District Secretariat and research pods from the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) to assess the project’s progress and determine the next steps.

NPC’s People Unite for Justice and Accountability (PUJA) project conducted its second district level activity session in Batticaloa to empower civil society organizations (CSOs) to effectively advocate for meaningful truth telling regarding enforced disappearances.

Under NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project, supported by Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka (Scope/GIZ) and co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office, two initiatives focusing on knowledge sharing, research progress and capacity building were completed.

NPC hosted District Inter Religious Committee meetings under the Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation, and Social Justice (PAIRS) project funded by Misereor and CAFOD in the Anuradhapura, Colombo, Jaffna and Polonnaruwa districts to foster harmony and unity among Sri Lanka’s diverse ethnic and religious groups with a focus on deepening understanding of Hindu culture.

As part of NPC’s Active Citizens for Elections and Democracy (ACED) project, funded by the EU, to promote a youth quota in government, a series of online meetings and research sharing sessions were conducted to empower youth to participate in the electoral process and to advocate for representation at all levels of government.

A mediation training session under NPC’s Action for Religious Coexistence (ARC) project was held in Trincomalee for Local Inter Religious Committees (LIRCs), youth leaders and NGO representatives to enhance their skills in conflict resolution and foster mutual understanding.