Multi Ethnic Youth Camp

26 September 2008 |  Kantale, Sri Lanka

Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) as Regional Initiator for Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in South Asia, together with the Eastern Voluntary Social Development Organization for Women (VSDOW) recently organized a youth camp for a group of youth of multiethnic background in Seruwila. The event held on the 26th and 27th of September, 2008 at the Sarvodaya Centre, Kantale coincided with the celebration of United Nations International Day of Peace.

The occasion was graced by the presence of Brigadier Piyal Abeysekera, Director-Operations at the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), as Chief Guest. During his key note speech, Brigadier Abeysekera commended the youth for readily assembling in a single forum. He stressed that such activities would be the stepping stone towards a sustainable peace in this country.

The event drew 32 youth of mixed ethnicities. They came from Thoppoor, Kiliveddy, Lingapuram, Dehiwatte and Serunuwara areas. All activities were simultaneously translated into Sinhala and Tamil to facilitate better understanding of the contents. Community Building Skills and Leadership Skills were focused on during the camp and training was imparted through very interactive and pragmatic methodology. As a follow up to the event, four similar camps are to be held in the Eastern Province in December, 2008.