NPC, in partnership with Helvetas Sri Lanka, initiated a new project, Crossing Boundaries – Youth Groups In Sri Lanka, which will be implemented from July 2019 to December 2019.

Helvetas is an independent Swiss development organization that is building capacity in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe by implementing development projects in the areas of water and sanitation, agriculture and nutrition, education, economic development, democracy and peace, and climate and the environment.

The project, which is targeting active youth leaders in the Trincomalee and Matara districts, aims at empowering male and female youth to actively engage on the issues of tolerant and active coexistence, inter generational understanding, peace building and reconciliation in their respective communities by facilitating them to understand conflict and promote their role as catalysts in transforming conflict.

Activities will include stake holder meetings, inter faith dialogues with adult mentors, training programmes for youth and follow-up activities and memory work in each district. There will be language classes for youth and adults.

A project orientation meeting was held with the participation of Helvetas Sri Lanka and partner organizations. The selection criteria of target groups and implementation modalities of the project were discussed and finalized during the meeting.

Two areas from each district were chosen for the purpose of getting the involvement of youth from all three communities. Shakthi Organization in Trincomalee and Community Development Centre in Matara will assist NPC to implement the activities in the field.