Sunday Times 2
Rahula Walk 2026 carries a call for peace
View(s):By Malaka Rodrigo
Last Sunday, protests under the banner “No Kings, No Wars” took place across the United States and in several cities worldwide, voicing opposition to US President Donald Trump and ongoing war in the middle-east.
Echoes of similar sentiments were seen in Sri Lanka, where calls to end war also found expression at the Rahula Walk 2026 in Matara, held on March 14.
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- Rahula Walk 2026 – Group 2010
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- Rahula Walk 2026 – Group 95 on the theme ‘No war please’
Organised by Rahula College, which marks its 103rd anniversary this year, the Rahula Walk is an annual parade celebrating the unity of past and present students. Old boys’ groups participated with decorated vehicles built around different themes, with two groups from 1995 and 2010 batches highlighting anti-war messages.
Anusha Priyankara of the 1995 group, who led the design of their vehicle, said the team had initially planned to focus on plastic pollution but shifted to a “No War Please” theme in light of ongoing conflicts in West Asia. “A lot of innocent people – even school children die in vain, so this war has wider human and economic impacts that even impacts Sri Lanka” Mr Priyankara said.
“We always try to present meaningful themes through our parade,” he told the Sunday Times, noting that their previous entry on marine turtle conservation was adjudged the best design.