Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena

The main objective is to develop youth leadership to help encourage a disciplined society free of violence and suffering.

Shanthi Sena is also engaged in changing the prevailing environment of war to that of peace through efforts to promote cooperation between ethnic and religious communities.

Shanthi Sena Movement holds events and gatherings which promote national unity and inter religious cooperation. Amity Camps, Peace Dialogues, district-to-district youth exchange programmes, Peace Education, meditation, Youth Leader Programmes on conflict resolution and Pen Pal programmes are proven and effective means of achieving our objectives.

The long-established team at Shanthi Sena offers years of experience in the field of inter-religious dialogue coupled with a nationwide network of communities in the north, south, east and west. In addition to a full-time Director, there are six permanent members on the staff and 34 District Volunteer Coordinators, supported by the Shanthi Sena Board which is made up of distinguished Sri Lankan university lecturers, lawyers, accountants and counsellors. Shanthi Sena welcomes your support to help it continue its work in bringing about a lasting peace in Sri Lanka.

Inter-religious National Conference entitled “National Reconciliation and Development through Inter-religious Coexistence” was held at Committee Room B in the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH)-Colombo at 2:00 pm on Saturday the 02^nd of March, 2013. The conference hosted over 650 religious leaders from all corners of the country including venerable religious leaders and distinguished guests including the members from the URI CCs in Sri Lanka. The objective of the conference was to share lessons learnt from the inter-faith activities carried out by the religious leaders under the project of Inter-religious Cooperation for Community Development and Social Empowerment which initiated in Trincomalee, Batticoloa and Padaviya districts in collaboration with Karuna Center for Peacebuilding-USA and generous support from USAID. Recommendations for national religious harmony were presented by the religious leaders from the project and they empathized vital factors of religious cooperation as a key element of the conference.

Youth Exchange camp - “village to village heart to heart” organized in Kandy from 5^th October to 8^th October 2012. Youth from districts of Trincomalee, Kegalle and Kandy participated. Along with them Mr. C.N.N. Raju, president of the Indian Foundation for Global Peace Education and 7 engineering students from Bangalore, India joined the 134 locals and 7 Indians making up 141 and had an enthralling experience of a life time. An URI member of United States of America, Mr. Zain Jeewanjee also visited the camp as a special guest. The inauguration was attended by professors, Government officials, Religious leaders and civic leaders. Shanthi sena president professor Kamal Waleboda made the opening address emphasizing the objective of this novel experience is that those present are going to experience. Briefly the four day programme included introducing the participants and the 60 host families that provided home hospitality. Key note addresses, animated discussions, cultural and sports programes were culminated with development component of shramadana (Giving free labour) which helped to renovating a canal to take water to the fields

At a time when reconciliation among nations were being discussed it was felt by all that bringing the Indian team gave credence to the feasibility of such a move.

A thought expressed by one participant would suffice to sum up the whole scenario “ I came as a Sinhala

Buddhist but I am leaving as a Sri Lankan” Thank you sir. There were many such expressions which were heartening and augurs well for the future

The duty of youth is to help distressed children” Under this theme International assembly of Asian Youth Center will meet in the historical resplendent city of Kandy in salubrious Sri Lanka from the 24^th to 27^th May 2013. At a recent ex-co meeting of the AYC Sri Lanka chapter held under the auspices of its Sri Lanka chairman Mr Ravi Kandage decided on the preliminaries. Delegates from all 12 countries under the chairmanship of Rev.Mitsuo Miyake of Japan shall attend the conference. Mr Sukumar David General Secretary has convened a meeting on the 28^th September 2012 to finalize all arrangements.

Shanthi sena CC Attended the Traveling Peace Academy sessions of URI in Kerala India from 23^rd to 29^th August 2012. Four member delegation headed by Mr Rasika Geethanga Deputy Director of Shanthisena CC participated. The assembly was enriched by the attendance of members of 12 other counties. At this gathering subjects like conflict transformation and peace building took pride of place. It was conducted by S. Asia Coordinator Dr Abraham Karikam. There was an animated discussion about the challenges that peace builders had to face considering the different scenarios that had to be encountered. This gathering had a very fruitful experience considering the representations from countries of widely differing backgrounds. Mr Ravi Kandage Global Council member and Asst treasurer graced the opening ceremony.

On the 13^th to 17^th May there was residential program under the above project conducted by Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena at Trincomalee Sarvodaya training center. Trincomalee is a unique place with a spread of all ethnic and religious groups equally not only strategically important place over the last few centuries, it is also place where Shanthi Sena feels is potentially important to bring about peace and harmony for the rest of the country. The beneficiaries were youth leaders from Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mulative, Polonnaruwa, Padaviya and Trincomalee. See more

As a unique exercise in religious harmony the religious leaders comprising of Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian clergy undertook a mercy mission of good faith and understanding by meeting their counterparts in Batticoloa in Sri Lanka. This visit enabled them to exchange their experiences of a different scenario altogether

here was an air of much cordiality as they received the visitors from the South. A group of Buddhist monks. Hindu Krukkals Muslim Moulavis 25 from each religion and 15 Christian priests made this long journey in the quest of harmony and wellbeing through a dialogue. A workshop was organized at the Sarvodaya center in Sathurukondan in Batticoloa. . On the 22^nd of May there was an official inauguration of the workshop organized by Shanthisena CC under the patronage of Mrs P.C.M.Charles the Government Agent of Batticoloa and attended by 150 other religious and civic leaders . Among them were representatives of all religions, Mr Susantha Thilakaratne commander of the Batticoloa division. Mr Ravi Kandage Director Shanthisena. See More..

A project called Inter Religious cooperation for Community Development and social empowerment of one year duration was inaugurated by Sarvodaya Movement and Shanthi Sena under the sponsorship of KARUNA Center for Peace Building, (USA). The project is designed to cover the following districts. Batticola,Trncomalee and Padaviya, It will engage 80 religious leaders 20 from each belonging to the four major faiths viz Buddhist, Hindu Christian and Islam The purpose of the project is bring about amity and peace through capacity building of religious leaders and creating opportunities for them to interact through dialogue. The proposed activities are Inter and intra faith Workshops, community dialogues, community development projects, (Classes in Singhala Tamil Language, Computer " Sewing and Small Scale industrial training and Home grading) Interreligious district meetings exposure visits etc. This project would be implemented by Shanthi sena CC. Under this project See more

Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena Inter District Youth Exchange Camp

On 09 ^thto 12^th March 2012 at Villavadduwan, Batticaloa

In our quest for bridging the ethnic and religious divide we have taken amny initiatives. The recent effort of Sarvodaya Shanthisena Movement is to hold an Inter district Youth Exchange camp in Batticoloa. This hamlet called Villawadduwan has been inhabited by Tamils and was beyond the Army control. Hence they have not been influenced by the ongoing peace efforts. We were bold enough to get them to play host to 143 Youth from Badulla and Ampara majority of whom were Sinhalese. They received home hospitality for 4 days at these homes which was a new experience to both parties.

The objectives were the reconciliation of the ethnic groups, building trust among the religious and ethnic groups and paving the way for a sustainable peace and harmony. These four days were utilized to conduct Educational, Cultural and sports activities. It culminated with a sharamadana bringing a development aspect which helped the people to remember in their hearts the act of goodwill that these visitors displayed. Thus our theme village to village and heart to heart bore fruit in a very practical way. After 4 days of a new experience they dispersed rather emotionally.

Case study of participant at the camp.

My name is Maduwantha from Ampara, There was definitely a change of heart as far as the Tamil people were concerned. The aspirations, humane aspects, and common love of them were easily understood by this experience. Living in their homes was an experience that I had not understood before. Whatever the general view of the Tamils this particular experience gave a very heartening feeling about them.

Inter-religious Cooperation for Community Development and Social Empowerment program attempts to mitigate conflict by establishing strong cooperative relationships between Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian religious leaders who will influence their peers and followers towards inter-communal tolerance. the primary target group is 80 religious leaders with 20 coming from each of the major faith groups, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. Over the course of the project, these leaders will come together to implement inter-faith community development and social empowerment projects, community dialogues, shared religious festivals, and youth-run peace committees in their respective communities. >>>

During the height of Sri Lanka’s civil war an incident between two neighboring villages captured the extent of ethnic rivalries within the war-torn island. On the 12^th August 1990, Muslims from the village of Samanthurei in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka attacked the Tamil village of Weeramuni killing nearly 200 men, women and children. After the attack enmity between the two villages remained intense; the only interaction coming through sporadic eruptions of violence. As a memorial the Tamils of Weeramuni built a statue of a woman carrying a child that served as a constant reminder of the atrocities committed against them and perpetuated their ill feelings towards the rival village. >>>

Sarvodaya collaborated with Leads to conduct an International Training session on leadership for Reproductive Health (LRH2) for 35 cohorts from Islamabad Pakistamn . It was conducted from the 19^th to 25^th November 2011. The opening ceremony was graced by Dr A.T.Ariyaratne and he delivered the key note address. The logistics was handled by Sarvodaya Shnthisena under the direction Ravindra Kandage , while educational aspect was conducted under the Community health unit of Sarvodaya . Dr Harishandra Yakandawala on the directions of Dr Vinya Ariyartane Secretary General of Sarvodaya Movement. The main idea of the training session was to learn lessons from the Sri Lankan experience of combating RH situation with Government and NGO sector. Lectures were given by eminent doctors engaged in this field of activity. Two field visits were done to familiarize the participants of on the spot activities at various Institutions. The participants praised the organizers for the valuable input and the efficient way the programe was conducted Mr Asad Hameed General Manager Projects, Mr Waqas Shiek and Yumana from LEADS lead the group. The closing ceremony included the certificate distribution and cultural display much appreciated by the Guests.

In the period under review Shanthi Sena CC has been very active in organizing three Corporation Circle meetings in Colombo, Kandy and Galle. All these meetings were graced by the distinguished presence of Rev.Cannon Charles Gibbs Executive Director of a Worldwide Organization - United Religious Initiatives based in San Francisco and Dr.Abraham Karikkam Executive Director URI South India.

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Two young girls from Sarvodaya Santhi Sena had a golden opportunity to visit Osaka and Nara on the invitation of Japan Asian Friendship Society Chaired by Rev.Dr.Kimihiko Murakami for the 2^nd Asia Youth Summit. There were delegates from 18 countries. The main theme of the summit was “For the happiness of the children”. The youth leadership was another them that evinced a lot of interest. >>>