Social Development Process Fanned by Youth in the Country
Thevuni Kotigala and Jonathan Wijesinghe uphold the fine values behind the idea of being ‘Globally connected - Locally engaged’ as they try to usher in the winds of change that will fan the process of reconciliation in the country.
As part of Sri Lanka Unites - a youth movement for hope and reconciliation which also nurtures the next generation of leaders in this country, the pair is deeply involved in projects that encourage dialogue between different communities.
While coming from different backgrounds, they were both inspired after being closely involved in the British Council’s Active Citizens programme which helps develop youth around the country as responsible people.
Thevuni, 24, grew up in somewhat of an insulated environment attending a leading Buddhist school in Colombo. It was only when she was attending the University of Jayawardenapura that she fully became aware of the rich diversity of culture and religion in the country.
“I was brought up in a school environment that celebrated strong values, ethics and discipline therefore serving humanity comes naturally to me. Studying in Colombo had its privileges but attending an all-Buddhist school didn’t help me to understand the true diversity of the country,” Thevuni relates.
As a fresher at university Thevuni found time to voluntarily join Sri Lanka Unites (SLU) and it was the start of a long and rewarding journey where she discovered her true calling – to promote equal rights to all human beings and fostering an inter-cultural and interreligious dialogue.
“Students are so focused on books that they forget that they really enjoy learning a subject when they have a good teacher or a lecturer. The best way of learning is by experience-sharing or knowledge-sharing,” declared Thevuni.
Passionate about the idea of an open dialogue, Thevuni set about establishing a ‘Human Library’, a project which encourages participants to share their views on religion and faith. She was strengthened by her experience with the Active Citizens programme which opened her eyes to the importance of inter-cultural dialogue.
“What I liked most about the Active Citizens programme is how deeply meaningful every single activity is and this helped me to broaden my view about the world. Most importantly these activities are related to day- to- day life,” Thevuni explains.