NPC’s Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation and Social Justice (PAIRS) project, funded by Misereor and co- funded by CAFOD, is transforming community dialogue into tangible action by bridging long standing gaps in justice, services and inclusion. Through a series of targeted actualisation activities and strategic facilitation meetings citizens, civil society and state officials are collaborating to implement concrete solutions for the most pressing local issues, turning advocacy into dignity and promises into progress. In September, 1,026 target group members were directly reached, reflecting the project’s growing impact and reach at the grassroots level.
Ratnapura
A civil society actualisation activity in collaboration with the Ratnapura District Inter Religious Committee (DIRC) was held to address a critical gap in the justice system: the lack of Tamil speaking mediators, which leaves estate communities marginalised in accessing fair dispute resolution. The programme brought together 63 participants including Grama Niladharis, government officials and estate community members, many of whom were learning about mediation for the first time. Discussions highlighted the barriers faced by Tamil speaking communities including language exclusion, lack of awareness, economic challenges and limited representation on mediation boards. All the Grama Niladharis were Sinhalese with only one able to speak Tamil, underscoring the urgent need for bilingual mediators. Despite social divides and hesitancy to speak openly in front of officials, the activity created a rare platform for dialogue and inclusion. Many Tamils youth expressed interest in becoming mediators, signalling potential for future leadership and reconciliation.
“Officers in my Grama Niladhari division learned about mediation for the first time. I believe they realised that, as Tamil speaking individuals, they too can participate in this process. I hope that they will step forward to serve as mediators, contributing to reconciliation. Programmes like these are important because they can truly influence and inspire people,” said M.A. Eranga Maarasinghe, Grama Niladhari of the Kolonna Division.
Badulla
An actualisation activity under the theme local government services are equal for all was held in collaboration with Future in Our Hands, civil society partners and Badulla DIRC to address three major challenges to inclusive local governance: limited civic participation due to mistrust and misinformation, unfair resource allocation caused by weak coordination and political interference and inequalities in sharing resources among ethnic and religious groups. These gaps have particularly affected vulnerable groups such as the Malaiyaha community.
The event created a rare space for direct dialogue between citizens and local authorities, where participants raised concerns and officials responded immediately. An informational leaflet on local government services was also distributed, strengthening community awareness.
Kegalle
An activity on community dialogue and mobile clinics was held in collaboration with Kegalle DIRC and civil society partners to create a shared space for equality, where government and non-government actors came together with plantation communities to address legal and social security challenges. Its goal was to minimise barriers, secure basic rights and promote sustainable inclusion and protection. During the consultations, communities highlighted issues such as lack of access to legal documents, limited land and housing rights, gaps in education and vocational training, employment exploitation and the absence of sustained state and non-state interventions. In response, the initiative combined participatory workshops, stakeholder dialogues and a mobile service clinic, which provided legal documentation support and awareness programmes. And an action plan with clear responsibilities was developed and local monitoring committees were established to ensure follow up and long term sustainability.
Also in Kegalle, youth leaders prioritised concerns around the display of religious symbols in hospitals, schools and government offices, highlighting the need for inclusivity and respect for diversity in public spaces. They also raised issues of school dropouts among state sector children, malnutrition, the urgent need for sexual education and gender awareness in schools and broader human rights violations affecting vulnerable groups. An outcome across both districts was the youth leaders’ voluntary commitment to take ownership of these issues rather than waiting for external support.
Nuwara Eliya
For the Malaiyaha community in estates like Holyrood, a non-functioning postal service is more than an inconvenience; it's a lifeline cut off. Through field visits, a powerful documentary and dialogues with officials, civil society leaders built an undeniable case for change. They strengthened their advocacy skills and learned to negotiate practical solutions. Their efforts yielded an immediate, tangible outcome. The estate authority, acknowledging the problem, installed name boards with house numbers for each housing row in Holyrood Estate. This direct intervention, funded by the estate, is already helping postal workers deliver mail more efficiently, easing a daily burden for hundreds of families.
Anuradhapura
A dynamic group of 15 youth leaders in Anuradhapura held a meeting to identify the most pressing issues in their district and chart a course for action. Through collaborative discussion, they pinpointed nine critical challenges from land ownership and sanitation to public health. From this list, they prioritised a single, powerful issue for their first actualisation activity: the protection of civic space and the promotion of inclusion and pluralism in the district. These young leaders are now designing a collective action to address this foundational issue, recognising that an inclusive society is the bedrock for solving all other problems.
North and East
A series of DIRC and youth meetings were held Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Jaffna to create spaces for interfaith dialogue, identification of issues and joint planning of actualisation activities focused on inclusion, reconciliation and social justice, bringing together over 75 participants including religious leaders, government officials, civil society representatives, women leaders, media and youth. Meetings were hosted in churches and mosques, fostering interfaith understanding and mutual respect.
Colombo
NPC and the Darmashakthi Foundation hosted the Colombo DIRC actualisation activity bringing together 45 participants including senior state officials, religious leaders, civil society representatives and members of the media, creating a vibrant and inclusive space for dialogue. A panel dialogue on the theme education reforms and curriculum reduction focused on three areas: the reduction of content in the history and religion syllabi, the importance of promoting inter religious understanding among students and scholarly insights on the positive and negative implications of the government’s proposed education reforms. By bringing together diverse voices and critical perspectives, the Colombo activity not only underscored the urgent need to critically examine education reforms but also showcased the potential of inter religious and civic collaboration in shaping a more inclusive and equitable future.