2015 Susan George Pulimood Memorial Oration
The Annual Susan George Pulimood Memorial Oration of Visakha Vidyalaya, will be held this year on Thursday, 23rd. July at 5.15 p. m. in the Jeremias Dias Hallof the school.
This year, the Oration will be delivered by Dr. Hemamala Hettige( nee Munasinghe ) , Senior Advisor, Independent Evaluation Department , Asian Development Bank – Manila, Philippines
The subject of the oration will be “Tackling Twin Towers: Taking Steps towards Inclusive and Sustainable Development “
This Oration will focus on the lack of socio- economic inclusion and environment sustainability that have still emerged as towering twin challenges of our time. Drawing from her experience in multilateral development banks, she will discuss the efforts such banks have taken to tackle these two issues and deliberates on lessons that emerge for the state, society, and markets although income poverty has reduced in Asia over the last 25 years, including in Sri Lanka, partly with the support of multilateral development banks .
Tackling Twin Towers: Taking Steps towards Inclusive and Sustainable Development
Over the last 25 years, poverty in Asia has reduced substantially and per capita income has increased rapidly, partly aided by the support of multilateral development banks ( similar to the ones she worked at for the last 25 years)
However, there are twin problems of income inequality and environment degradation that have escalated in this time frame, threatening the very core of poverty reduction achievements.
We are going to analyze these twin problems – the poverty environment nexus, and its implications.
Drawing from her experience we can look at what solutions development banks are working on to address these issues.
Independent evaluation studies highlight crucial lessons that need to be considered to meeting these twin challenges.
While these suggestions are useful and necessary, they alone are not sufficient to attain lasting solutions; there are steps we, who form the basis for state, society, and markets can and must take to ensure lasting solutions.