'Spirituality guarantees sustainable development'

Sri Lanka that is progressing fast in the path of development, is facing the challenge of the threat that is looming due to the fast developing technology which is threatening to destroy humanity and the ecosystem globally.

Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara

It is the responsibility of a country as a whole, and those involved in the planning process, to manage the environment in such a manner that the country will develop and at the same time, people too will develop spiritually, National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said issuing a media release to coincide with the Nature-Human Centric Peoples Movement 5th Regional Conference to be held today and tomorrow.

The release: "It was a prosperous period for most countries from 1990 to 2000 as they gained vastly through globalization and the advancement in Information Communication Technology.

"The people in the planning process should be aware of the progress made in areas related to the economic and technological development globally and regionally.

"We have to be mindful of the new methodology available to us insofar as development is concerned discarding age-old mechanisms. We also have to scrutinize and make use of natural and human resources in an intelligent manner to uplift the living standards of the public.

"Efforts are being made to coerce the monetary value of natural resources and bio-diversity in the national planning processes globally.

"It is a timely requirement to be mindful of the service that would be rendered to the sociocultural body by preserving the ecosystem.

"As a country and a region undergoing rapid development, we should be enthusiastic about modernization.

"The point that we should not forget is that we should follow a modernization process that should be equivalent to a nationalistic developmental model, inherent to our culture and traditions.

"People's leaders of countries undergoing rapid development and also the sociologists/philosophers, should select the development model inherent to the country to match the sociological and cultural background of their native land.

"They could plan to safeguard the humanity and the ecosystem of that country.

"Sociologists and economists of both the East and the West, query on sociological injustice meted out to minority nationalities as a result of sociological and economic anomalies which arise in the guise of global ideology.

"At a time when invention of the computer, the internet, mobile phones, electronic mail, satellite communication and other inventions which can be identified as miracles of science and technology, and items/services close to the "heart of the people", we have fallen into difficulties in using limited natural resources gifted to us by nature.

"The Earth is in imminent danger of self-destruction due to global warming. The Ozone layer, which acts as a protective cover to the Earths' Hemisphere, is being subjected to gradual destruction due to excessive Carbon Monoxide emission as a result of fossil fuel usage, in addition to destruction caused by global warming. Production of bio-fuel is being looked forward to due to the gradual decrease in available Fossil Fuel.

"The world's population is increasing two-fold every 10 years. The supply of food, water and availability of housing facilities and employment opportunities are restricted and the availability of such resources/ facilities will depend on the usage of the same gifted to us by nature. Awareness amongst the people has to be created with reference to the limited availability of resources/facilities/opportunities.

"Conferences are held worldwide to discuss and develop programmes to create awareness amongst the global population to curb the use of limited natural resources owned by all. One common item that evolved from these conferences is that the ecosystem cannot be preserved to the fullest by forgetting traditions.

"It is important that the knowledge-base of national-minded people be acknowledged/praised/appreciated, to ensure that activities of such people are continued. A co-relationship between the environment and humanity is a must and has to be maintained to ensure social integration."