SID celebrates fiftieth anniversary

Mohammed Naalir

COLOMBO: Internal Administration Ministry Secretary and President of South Asia Society for International Development (SID) Sri Lanka Chapter Dr. Upananda Vidanapathirana said yesterday that Fiftieth Anniversary Conference of SID will be held on "The Power of Ideas: 50 years of development in the South Asia" at Galle Face Hotel on May 11 and 12 with the participation of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka.

Addressing the media Vidanapathirana said that the conference will be held with the participation of thirty five foreign delegates from India, Bangladesh, Kenya and Italy.

Continuing, Upananda said that the panel discussion will focus on the challenges of poverty: South Asia for Human Sustainable Development, Poverty, Sustainable Livelihoods and Inequalities, Gender, Peace and Inequalities, SID at the Crossroads: the way forward.

Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama will be the guest of honour at the conference. The SID is a largest non governmental organisation and established in 1957 as an association of professionals with an interest in international economic, political and social development. The SID is functioning as a forum to exchange development experience, information and ideas. SID has 10,000 members in 132 countries.

The objectives of the SID are to promote international dialogue, understanding and co-operation and economic development, to encourage, support and facilitate the creation of a sense among individuals and organisation committed to development at local, regional and international level, to advance the science, processes and economic development through education means including research, publication and discussion.