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A three day residential workshop was held for 30 youth community facilitators and human rights defenders in the Malaiyaha community representing 10 estates in the Sabaragamuwa Province. The workshop focused on improving the capacity, skills and leadership of youth facilitators to foster conducive relations between the facilitators and government officers. The facilitators and human rights defenders will be access points when faced with issues related to obtaining government services.

The Sri Lanka Human Rights Foundation collaborated on a workshop under NPC’s Plural Action for Conflict Transformation (PACT) project, which featured sessions designed to educate participants on the country’s political landscape and on their human rights.

The Global Center for Pluralism Canada (GCP) and NPC conducted workshops for NPC staff, Divisional Secretaries (DS) officers and NPC Master Trainers on the Global Pluralism Monitor (GPM) Sri Lanka. The GPM recognises the need to better understand the movement towards, and away from, pluralism in a society through a multidimensional, holistic framework of analysis.

Teldeniya, a town located less than an hour from Kandy, has been facing a lack of water distribution. Although the people pay their bills and taxes, the state has failed to solve the problem. The role of the civil society is to ensure that government carries out its duties responsibly.

An exchange visit to connect the communities of Mawanella and Mannar and promote cultural understanding was organized under NPC’s Action for Religious Coexistence (ARC) project.

In a bid to bring women together, NPC’s Women Organized for Inclusion through Community Engagement (WOICE) project arranged a cultural exchange aimed at empowering women to advocate for policy changes and establishing a network of national women leaders committed to reshaping the state structure.

As we usher in the new year, we share a glimpse of our recent office celebration for the Thai Pongal festival, a Hindu festival of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest, that was organised by NPC’s Staff Welfare Society.

The Puttalam Learning Conference organized by the Women Organization for Development, Equality, Peace, and Temperance (WODEPT) brought together 15 NGOs who are establishing peace and reconciliation in their district. The meeting aimed to provide a collaborative platform for NGOs to exchange their experiences, address challenges and share lessons related to peace and reconciliation efforts.

NPC has launched a three year project, People Unite for Justice and Accountability (PUJA), aimed at building public support for justice and accountability processes across ethnic divides. Supported by funding from the US State Department, the project will facilitate collaboration between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with international support to build pressure upon the state to ensure justice and accountability.

The National Peace Council was pleased to congratulate Ven Prof Pallekanda Ratanasara Thero and Ven Dr Madampagama Assaji Thero on the international recognition they received for their contributions to peace and justice in the world. Both of these reverend monks are sources of strength to the peace movement in Sri Lanka. Their presence at any civil society meeting adds stature to it. Ven Prof Ratansara was a member of the presidium of NPC at its inception in 1995. Ven Dr Assaji is chair of the Colombo District Inter Religious Committee that is supported by NPC.

The decision taken by the Government in 2021 under Ex-President Goatabhaya Rajapakse, to ban organic fertilizer saw how it directly brought about a crisis in our agricultural sector, that adversely affected the entire country, the effects of which still lingers today. This decision is but one of many taken by the government that has paved the way to the crisis that we are confronted with today.

Lectures and course work for the advanced certificate course, Sustainable Peace Through Inclusive Service Delivery, are ongoing in the four state universities of Ruhuna, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and Jaffna.

Buddhists hear pirith in the early morning. Muslims hear adhan. Pirith means protection. The ceremonial recital of pirith is regarded as warding off all forms of evil and danger. Adhan means calling Muslims to prayer. Both pirith and adhan encourage people to engage in religious activity.

In the heart of Weligama, the Shrine of Christ the Healer Church Hall set the scene for taking participants on a reflective journey on past ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka.

An awareness programme on women’s participation in politics was held under NPC’s Women Organized for Inclusion Through Community Engagement project (WOICE).

The Plural Action for Conflict Transformation (PACT) project focuses on different sectors every month. The month of November focused on the estate sector namely Bathalagoda, Kurunegala Badulla and Kegalle.