NPC, through its Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation and Social Justice (PAIRS) project supported by Misereor and CAFOD, conducted 10 District Inter Religious Committee (DIRC) meetings across the country, marking a significant step in promoting peacebuilding, civic awareness and inclusive dialogue in post-conflict regions.
The collaborative, multi-location approach brought together over 300 diverse participants, including religious leaders, women leaders, youth representatives, government officials, media professionals and civil society actors. Each DIRC meeting reinforced the local network of peace advocates and provided a structured platform for education and forward planning.
A highlight was the focus on religious freedom and legal awareness, with resource persons such as lawyer Buddhima Chaturanga Wijesinghe, Father A. A. Nawarathinam and Dr. Darshi Thoradeniya facilitating sessions on topics ranging from religious rights and civic duties to social inclusion policies and election preparedness. These discussions helped DIRC members understand their legal rights, constitutional roles and responsibilities as citizens.
In Vavuniya, a session led by J. Jeyatheepan allowed participants to identify and resolve local ethnic issues, showcasing the DIRCs’ growing capability as a mechanism for grassroots conflict mitigation. relevance of Ramadan was explored by Maulavi Mohomad Hizam, creating a space for mutual respect across faiths while in Jaffna, Hindu cultural perspectives on peace were shared by Senior Lecturer S. Ramanarajan, bridging academic insights with traditional values.
In Nuwara Eliya, women leaders and youth engaged in dialogue around civic engagement, rights-based governance, and ethical voting facilitated by lawyer Selladurai Lalithambigai. These conversations planted seeds for more informed, participatory citizenship among future generations.
DIRC engagements across districts such as Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa, Monaragala, Badulla, Jaffna, Vavuniya and Kurunegala reflected a coordinated national effort that is decentralised and locally owned. By merging structural reform, issue tracking and knowledge sharing, the project demonstrates how peacebuilding can be community driven, sustainable and inclusive.