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A workshop was conducted for senior government officers in the Galle District under NPC’s Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation and Social Justice (PAIRS) project, held in collaboration with the Galle District Inter Religious Committee and the Sahana Social Development Alliance.

NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project held a training workshop at the Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) focusing on enhancing research skills and fostering discussions on socio-political issues specifically through the lens of research methodologies and case study development.

The recent political transition in Sri Lanka, following the presidential and parliamentary elections of September and November, offers a pivotal opportunity to address entrenched issues of exclusion. In his inaugural speech at the 10th Parliament, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised his commitment to preventing racism and religious extremism in Sri Lanka. He asserted that his government would not allow racist politics to reemerge and pledged to establish a democratic state free from fear and suspicion. The president highlighted the importance of the rule of law, ensuring that no individual or politician is above it. His address also included a promise to investigate controversial crimes, deliver justice to victims, and rebuild public trust in the legal system.

NPC held district-based meetings in Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Mannar and Ratnapura through its People Unite for Justice and Accountability (PUJA) project, bringing together government officials, local leaders and members of the NPC network aimed at fostering dialogue on Transitional Justice (TJ) and truth telling, addressing complex grievances that continue to affect communities impacted the long standing conflict.

A residential workshop on inclusion, reconciliation and social justice was conducted in Colombo under NPC’s project Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation and Social Justice (PAIRS) for 32 youth leaders from 16 District Inter Religious Committees (DIRCs), creating a space for learning, sharing experiences and working together. Participants represented various ethnic groups and religions.

NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project conducted two district-based training workshops at Sabaragamuwa University and Jaffna University aimed at building research skills among students and encouraging dialogue on socio-political issues.

The Action for Religious Coexistence (ARC) team conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) session in Minuwangoda bringing together 43 participants from 14 Local Inter Religious Committees (LIRCs) across 13 districts. The session was designed to equip NGO representatives with theoretical and practical knowledge on advocacy, activism and the complexities of hate speech.

Under NPC’s Active Citizens for Elections and Democracy (ACED) project funded by the European Union, a series of 12 training sessions were conducted in Ampara, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Galle, Kandy, Kurunegala, Mannar, Matara, Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya, and Kilinochchi Districts to enhance youth engagement in the electoral process.

Despite the fact that Sri Lankan women are highly educated and literate, only 4.8 percent of parliamentarians are women. To correct this imbalance, proactive action is needed by women and men. Under NPC’s Active Citizens for Elections and Democracy (ACED) project, an event was held aimed at securing a 25 percent quota for women in parliament.

NPC, through its People Unite for Justice and Accountability (PUJA) project, conducted district-based meetings to engage diverse networks including District and Local Inter Religious Committees, organic formations, master trainers and state officials to address the complexities of post-conflict justice while fostering dialogue and collaboration among communities divided by decades of conflict.

A series of information sessions on legislation and other initiatives relating to women was held across the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Polonnaruwa as part of the second phase of the Women Organized for Inclusion through Community Engagement (WOICE) project, which is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy. The sessions were designed to address a crucial gap in the knowledge of women in the WOICE Super Group and Peer Group on laws affecting women’s rights and political participation.

In the village of Nochchikulam in the Vavuniya District, a small Telugu community of 86 families has been working hard to find recognition and acceptance. Most of the families are Christians while one family practices Hinduism. Their journey has been filled with challenges but their determination has kept them going.

NPC’s Mobilising University State Engagement for Reconciliation (MUSTER) project held a district training programme for 15 students from the University of Ruhuna to share knowledge and provide comprehensive guidance on qualitative research techniques that would be applied in the project’s research.

The Plural Action for Inclusion, Reconciliation and Social Justice (PAIRS) project conducted a scoping activity in the Polonnaruwa district to identify ethnic and religious tensions within the community. The event saw participation of 30 members of the District Inter Religious Committee (DIRC) including religious leaders, state officials, civil society organization members, local government authority representatives, media personnel and youth.

A video documentary capturing the experiences of the Malaiyaha community that sought to highlight the enduring challenges faced by this historically marginalised group, particularly their exclusion from public services and lack of inclusion in decision making processes, was screened in Colombo.

The effective implementation of democracy is vital for the economic, human and social development of any developing country. Ensuring human rights and democratic practices through institutions such as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is essential. International communities such as the European Union are keen to support the protection of public rights and freedom. Their involvement in election monitoring, legal reform and development assistance is crucial.