Together we proclaim Mother Sri Lanka

All is quiet in the battlefront. It has been three decades, three long decades and finally there is no gunshot in the horizon, no clamour in the distance...But does the battle end here? That is for the future to prove. And these children gathered together were determined to prove so.

Dulshani GUNAWARDENA

From the depths of the South, to the plains of the North: all the youngsters gathered together in the halls of Visakha Vidyalaya spoke of just one hope: to do their best for their country, for a future, bright and clear. It was June 18, the last day of the finals of the Mother Sri Lanka Competition.

"We learned such a lot from the whole competition," says Sadun Prabath, a member of the team from Theldeniya National School. The team went on to win all-island second place in the Sinhala medium.

"Not only were the eight of us, but the whole school involved. Mother Sri Lanka changed us all. Those days, we would fidget and speak while the national anthem was played. Then we formed the Mother Sri Lanka Club. We asked everybody to sing the National anthem properly. Now everybody sings it properly without even a prompt."

Their play revolved around the everyday conflicts faced in the health, security and media services. It was a play, in their words, that had evolved with the test of time. They had performed it to 47 schools across the Central Province. They have just one misgiving. "I think it's a big pity we can't understand what our brothers and sisters from the North say. We don't understand Tamil; they don't understand Sinhala. We'd love to talk to them, but because of the language barrier, we can't."

In a country with cricket runs thick in the blood, it was inevitable that the topic would surface. The surprise was when the girls of Kuruwela Hameedia College of Matale pondered on why one should cheer for a rival team with one's own team was in the fray.

"We had a lovely time...they say. Its a wonderful opportunity for the first time in our lives, we realized that we could tell the whole of Sri Lanka about our thoughts and our ideas."

The team from Rohana Maha Vidyalaya from Matara spoke of the sea that was their life. They spoke of the everyday dilemmas in the life of the fisherfolk and the hope that yet prevailed. Moreover they spoke on using their own environment to self suffice their needs.

Not limiting to the play, they have put their words to action through the Mother Sri Lanka Club at school. "With the guidance of the University of Ruhuna, we taught the people in our village, the proper methods of making umbalakada. We hope to go on further, helping people to find their livelihood through self-employment."

Their teacher muses, "We saw such a change in these children. They do not come from well off families, but they gave their maximum dedication despite their own difficulties. We held extra classes to help them catch up the missed lessons."

A new student enters a prestigious music class. He wants to use Eastern dance for a production. The other students shun him in favour of Western dance. Yet he perseveres. Finally they reconcile and combine the two dance forms together, creating a magnificent performance.

This was the novel storyline Gateway College built their plot around. Like their counterparts in the rural areas, they have much to say and many a future plan.

"After starting off with the Mother Sri Lanka program, we ventured into community work too. We had fund raising campaigns and donated artificial limbs. That was just the first step and we hope to continue further."

Mother Sri Lanka has given the students of Delft Maha Vidyalaya a glimpse of a different life. Just one of them barely understands Sinhala, yet their faces are as vibrant as those around them.

"More students are coming to school now", Principal Sarada Krishnadasa explains. "Mother Sri Lanka gave them a great opportunity for them to gradually shape up their lives."

It was a day of bright, excited faces. Looking at them sparks hope that the future is not so dark; that peace and not 'the end of war' would someday become reality!

The Mother Sri Lanka Competition

Janaki Kuruppu

Initiated by the President's Office, The Mother Sri Lanka Foundation strives to build patriotism through positive thinking. A not-for-profit organisation, it is mainly funded by the private sector. In February 2009 it launched the massive Mother Sri Lanka schools competition - a project covering over 2,600 schools and touching the lives of nearly three million children.

Throughout the competition, the teams were prompted to make presentations revolving around the central theme of Magen Ratata - Rata Nagumata (From me to the country - for the country's growth).

Competitions were held at district and provincial levels, out of which 43 schools were chosen to participate in the grand finale.

Along with the competition, the students took the initiative to establish Mother Sri Lanka Clubs in their schools. The clubs undertook specific projects to develop patriotism and overall lifestyle change within their small communities. The final competition judged the work done through these projects together with the presentation.

W.A.Wijetunga

Head of Panel of Judges, Mother Sri Lanka Competition Deputy Director, Education Ministry

"The competition made the children know each other. They spoke to each other and shared their ideas. The plays were different, showing their different backgrounds. The children from the North spoke more on peace; those of the South were more focused on economic revival."

Ophelia Gunasekera

Judge, Mother Sri Lanka Competition Lawyer

"Mother Sri Lanka changed me. What I specially noticed was that all these plays were not based on confrontational situations. Without passing verdict on what was right or wrong, the plays tried to reach a decision that was fair to both sides. This was very heartening to see, especially after a war."

M.T.M.Akil

Judge, Mother Sri Lanka Competition Assistant Director, Education Ministry

"I was a judge from the start of the competition. There is a big difference between the grassroots presentations and the presentations today. At first, they only spoke of their problems; now they bring up solutions as well. They have evolved with the competition."