Arts
UMT begins new chapter to promote integration across the country
A new chapter unfolded early this month in the Unity Mission Trust’s (UMT) efforts at building unity among youth across the island.
UMT’s inaugural National Regional Conference brought together around 50 youth representatives from all corners of the country for a conference in Colombo.
Founder-Trustee Bertal Pinto Jayawardena said that for some participants this experience was a first. At UMT capacity-building starts at the Unity Camps.
Five hundred A-Level students from schools around the island gather for the camps and for some this is an introduction to a peer outside their ethnicity.
Promoting integration by fostering friendship among campers is done in an informal setting, he says. Branching-out into “a more professional setting,” youth leaders who started out as campers engage in influencing and formulating policy.
Former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, Radhika Coomaraswamy was a special guest at this event which had senior businessman and member of the Board of Management of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute Mano Tittawella as chief guest.
Addressing the audience, Ms. Coomaraswamy said, “It certainly is a void,” that her work now involved less interaction with young people.
Bringing into the world their innate curiosity, unrestricted by “historical baggage” she encouraged the youth to forge ahead, finding a practical balance on the spectrum of tradition and Western creativity.
In his keynote address themed “powering ahead” the chief guest encouraged young people to strive for goals. Receiving their A ‘Level results days before this conference, he acknowledged his audience was “at an important threshold” where decisions would bear consequences.
“You must,” he urged, despite liberally available, well-meaning advice “choose to do what you like.” It is only in realising your dream and working tirelessly on it, that service to others is made possible.
Leader of UMT’s Regional Council in Kilinochchi, Sushmitha Ramesh 20, was enthusiastic about the conference – “We really needed to hear these speeches.
We’ve only seen the special guests on T.V and their incomparable presence made the Conference unforgettable,” she said.
Nimesha Jayamanne of the Colombo Regional Council expressed her Council’s concern over feelings of alienation. “People must start feeling we’re a part of one Sri Lanka, devoid of any hint of superiority or otherwise,” she stressed.
Representing the Kandy Regional Council, Harindi Suriyaarachchi proposed methods of promoting unity among schools and developing IT and English skills.
For Egodage Wasana Maltharika from the Ambalangoda Council, the conference was a personal milestone. “I have never made a presentation before, because I never knew I could,” she said.Thavasoroopan Purusothma, an aspiring Civil Engineer who hopes that his home town, Jaffna will one day resemble Colombo leads the Jaffna regional Council.
Focussing on the topics of PR and Publicity for UMT he says, “If we do good looking for publicity we’re not doing it with the right motive.”
Mayuran Raj of the Mannar Regional Council is also a senior member of UMT’s National Youth Council. “I explained why we need a regional council and their impact” he said in his presentation.
Conference Chair, Sasha Pinto-Jayawardena said, the delegates who joined the six regional leaders were hand-picked from those who had shone at the Unity Mission Camps over the years.