Social Integration via Education at the RAISE IV Conference

Education goes beyond the walls of the classroom and the dozen or so years that the child spends in the primary and secondary stages.

It is often the stepping stone that propels the younger generation to reach greater heights.

Thus, the future of not just these youth but our entire planet and its wellbeing hinges on their development. It is imperative to nurture children to their full potential in order to create leaders of tomorrow and not just robots that slide into a prevalent system.

Students today face many more challenges than simply getting good grades – the rise of social media usage, depression and mental health, abuse of drugs, environmental responsibility and animal welfare, are all areas that they need to be educated on.

At such an impressionable age, teachers are often the greatest influencers and could play a pivotal role in ensuring that children are guided along the correct path. It is also important to differentiate between education and beneficial knowledge. In this context, a question often arises as to whether Sri Lankan students are on par with the rest of the world and whether our schools have evolved to stay abreast “with the times”.

RAISE IV, taking place on the 6th of February 2020 at Ramada Colombo Hotel, organised by UTO EduConsult, will address such issues. This fourth edition of the annual event follows last year’s RAISE III, which centred on the theme “Respect.”

The single day programme under the theme “Social Integration via Education” will discuss areas critical to many of the social issues facing our youth and the manner in which a proper education system could address, or at the very least mitigate some of these pressing matters that face contemporary society.

Luminaries in academia as well as corporate and social leaders of repute will deliberate about bridging the gap between education and corporate sectors, the responsibility of reaching out to deprived segments of society, social media and its effects, drug use, nurturing global citizens and many more subjects relevant to today’s climate.

Some of the distinguished panellists and presenters at RAISE IV will include CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN - Rtn. Tariq Thulba, Former District Gove r n o r, Ro t a r y District 3220, Amanda Weerasinghe, Co- Managing Director, Almar Teas, Ameer Ahmed, CEO - Sri Lanka & Maldives, Franklin Covey, Sri Lanka, Amina Zuhair, Principal, Ilma International Girl ’ s School, Bradley Emerson, Executive Director / CEO, IIHE, Dr Buddhima Hansinie S u b a s i n g h e, Head Computer Science, National Institute of Business Management, Channa De Silva , Chairman, Sarvodaya Development Finance, Fo u z u l Hameed, Co- Founder, My Friend Foundat i o n , H a n s Billimoria, Director, The Grassrooted Trust , Louise Cowcher, Director Education, British Council, Radley Stephen, CEO, Amrak Institute of Medical Sciences, Reyaz Mihular, Managing Partner, KPMG, Dr Seevali Jayawickrama, Director General, Sri Lanka Anti- Doping Ag e n cy ( SLADA ) , Ministry of Sports, Shabiya Ali Ahlam, Business & Financial Jo u r n a l i s t , Ta s s y Dahlan, Overseas School Colombo, Udena Wi c k r e m a s i n g h e , Former Board Member, Brandix Lanka

The objectives of the event’s discussions are also encapsulated in the acronym RAISE (Reconciliation, Alleviation, Inspiration, Social Responsibility, and Engagement). RAISE IV will also witness the formal launch of a competition among schools and students encapsulating the theme “RESPECT”.

Titled “I Respect”, the programme is expected to attract schools from across the island, which we hope would contribute towards a more cohesive and harmonious environment across many strata of society.

More details on the Conference could be obtained by contacting Shermana on 0777668575 or 0775837575 or shermana@utoeduconsult.com