Sahasara: path to unity

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

“Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people.”

- Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964)

The ambers of mistrust and myth among the diverse ethnic and religious groups in the North and Southern zones of Sri Lanka has been handed down from parents to children for the past few decades.

Sri Lanka Unites (SLU), the youth lead organization who had made waves in the field by connecting youth of all ethnic groups took another step to wither away these ideologies by launching their monthly magazine, Sahasara recently.

The event took place at the BMICH recently amid youth and some key figures in the country. Many of the youth who have been part of the SLU projects over the past years took part in the event which marked yet another milestone in the organization’s history.

Speaking at the event Sahasara Editor Lukshman Piyasena said that the magazine attempts to build a bridge between youth from diverse backgrounds. It addresses youth issues and areas of key interest among young people.

“The magazine acts as a vehicle in promoting SLU’s theme of building leadership qualities among the younger generation. It also attempts to engage youth in social welfare activities and shed light on the community development programmes launched by SLU,” Piyasena explained.

Sahasara Editor Lukshman Piyasena. Pictures by Saman Sri Wedage

SLU President Prashan de Visser

Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala

SLU President Prashan de Visser noted that most of the stereotyped views embodied by youth about other ethnic groups have been handed down to them by their parents.

“When we questioned them about these theories and asked if they had come to these conclusions via first hand experience they had no comeback. They simply follow others’ views.

The Future Leaders Conference which we held in Jaffna this year changed their mindset. They got to know that the youth of other ethnic communities in the country too are like themselves. They bonded with each other and learnt how to communicate and came across interesting facts about each others traditions and cultures,” he said.

SLU is a group of energetic youth who are driven by the power to bring young people from diverse religions, ethnicity and areas within Sri Lanka together for conferences and shared activities.

SLU Board of Trustees Chairman Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, Former Foreign Secretary and acting Director General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process H M G S Palihakkara, Sri Lanka-US Fulbright Commission Executive Director Tissa Jayatileke, seasoned script writer and author Dileepa Abeysekara and SLU Organized Cristin Raja also spoke at the event. This is yet another effort by the team in reaching out to the youth community in the island and creating a model not only for Sri Lankans but citizens the world over.