Newly elected Municipal Council members from the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and selected municipal staff members participated in three day workshop that was organized with support from USAID’s Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project and NPC. NPC resource persons provided inputs on the reconciliation process for councillors.

In discussions with NPC during the planning stage, Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake said that she had three objectives in mind. These were to familiarize the councillors with their duties and the laws that govern them, to help them to understand the importance of the national reconciliation process and the government’s roadmap in that regard and to promote good relationships between the councilors.

At the end of the workshop, participating council members obtained an overview of the local government system and democratic process of Sri Lanka with special reference to the role and obligations of the council members. They gained an initial understanding of the complexity of democratic process and the local government system. In addition they learnt about the national reconciliation process in relation to the provision of services to a plural and multi ethnic society.