Build ethnic harmony and reconciliation

First Interfaith Music Festival in Asia:

Mother Sri Lanka Trust in collaboration with the Art of Living Foundation launched the first Interfaith Music Festival in Asia, which was held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The festival was a coming-together of 1,500 school children from over 50 schools from across the island representing the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Badulla, Matara, Kalutara and Kandy. Representing all four religions, along with 300 drummers, 200 dancers, and 50 guitarists singing songs and chants from all religious faiths in the country with performances by Edward Jayakody, Bathiya & Santhush, Charitha Priyadarshani, Jayantha Ratnayake, Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Athula Adhikari and Toni Hassan among others who joined the children to sing along.

Edward Jayakody, Director of Education (Music) of the Ministry of Education, who was involved in coordinating the event said, "We often attend Buddhist, Christian/Catholic, Hindu and Islamic rituals separately at occasions such as Vesak, Christmas and other religious and cultural gatherings. The Interfaith Music Festival 2012 was a unique opportunity to bring all this together on a single stage and promote our identity as Sri Lankans".

"This was not just a music festival but it was about all 4 religions in the country getting together in a single event to sing Buddhist Bhakthi Gee, Christian Carols, as well as Hindu and Islamic chants, through a unique mixing of children from Jaffna to Matara. Our objective of organizing this event is to heal the wounds of war and bring together people of all faiths under one umbrella as Sri Lankans", Mother Sri Lanka Chairperson Janaki Kuruppu said expressing her views on the event. She added that it was a timely effort to instill a sense of togetherness among all ethnic groups in Sri Lanka as the country celebrates true independence and freedom this February.