Creating a Conducive Environment for Religious Amity in Sri Lanka.

GOAL

Contribute to an interdependent society respecting the diverse positive relationships built among people of all religions of the target area towards a shared peaceful and harmonious future

OBJECTIVES:

To create a Conducive Environment for Religious Amity by:

• Targeted communities enjoy good relations with individuals of another faith and/ or ethnicity
• Grass root-level inter-religious groups engage in reconciliation and dialogue activities in line with LLRC Recommendation 9.268¹
• Local authorities have strengthened commitment to build unity among religious communities.

ACTIVITIES 

• Second Language Training
• Second Language Training for Sunday School Teachers
• TOT on Respecting Human Dignity
• Support Sunday School Teachers’ activities
• People of 2 major religions collectively celebrating religious festivals (13DC ×2)
• Dialogue among Inter Religious Forums
• Implementation of IRF activities
• Common activities organized by community groups to create ethnic/religious harmony
• Awareness programmes for Government & other stakeholders

Peace – Healing & Reconsideration

“Advocacy towards Reconciliation, Unity and Good Governance in line with Recommendations of Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)” 

Project Goal

Conducive environment for a just and free society created where people will be living in peace and harmony by respecting the diverse nature of different ethnic and religious groups and their cultures.

 

OBJECTIVE – 01

To mobilize and empower adults youth including members of the National Youth Forum members of human rights vigilant groups and other groups formed under Caritas programmes in existing Peace Villages as Village Peace Committees (VPCs) to function as Agents of Change in 40 peace villages.

OBJECTIVE – 02

To encourage the learning of language of the other ethnic community to be able to communicate with each other.

OBJECTIVE – 03

To increase the knowledge on democracy and good governance of the VPC members and facilitate the organizing of appropriate activities at village level.

OBJECTIVE – 04

To involve representatives of local government agencies and strengthen VPC links with them to enable the community members better access their services.

OBJECTIVE – 05

To continue advocacy at different levels to follow-up on the Recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and promote Peace and Reconciliation among the different ethnic and religious communities.

OBJECTIVE – 06

To create opportunities for war affected women in the North & East (widows, women-headed families, Women’s Rural Development Society (WRDS) members) to form linkages with Women in the South (Women’s Society members) to share grievances and healing of wounds.

Promoting Healing and Reconciliation for Sustainable Peace in Sri Lanka”

Names of the Target Villages 

1. Sinnakkulam
2. Iruthayapuram
3. RB-02
4. Pathinipuram

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

1. Organize & Conduct Language Courses

• 04 villages get the opportunity to conduct 2 Tamil & Sinhala language courses for minimum 25 – 30 participants.

2. Inter – faith dialogue sessions at DC level with VPCs

• The role of religious leaders has become a vital contribution to promotion of peace and reconciliation. Their participation will be utilized to create unity and harmony not only among the ethnicities but also among the religions

3. Workshop for VPC members on Transitional Justice / LLRC

• Training to educate the VPC members on the Transitional Justice/LLRC Recommendations

4. Coordination meetings with Local Government Authorities at DC Level

• Coordination meetings with Local Government Authorities at DC Level are to be held to strengthen linkages with government agencies and institutions (Police, District Officers, School …) and enable the community to have a better access to government services.

5. Facilitate and support Village Peace Committees’ Projects at Village Level
   • The respective VPCs implement the community projects on Peace, Reconciliation, Unity and Good Governance. Each VPC to organize the community projects under the guidance and the supervision of the programme coordinator and the village level volunteer.

6. peace activities coinciding with religious festivals
   • Joint Peace activities coinciding with religious festivals to be celebrated by the respective DCs with the support of VPCs and Volunteers.  Common festivals are listed below for easy reference

7. Organize Inter – Diocesan Exposure Visits
   • These visits will be regularized in a manner so that the exposure would happen only among identified target villages to create a better impact. Selected members from the target village (30 – 45) will be involved in the exposures. The main objective of theses inter diocesan visits is to make relationships between two ethnic groups.

8. Conduct of Healing Sessions during the exposure visit
   • These “Healing Sessions” need to conducted during the inter – ethnic VPC exposure visits where the both the community present. This helps the communities to minimize the differences among them.

World Food Programme

The World Food Day celebration @ Kurunegale was well arranged by Janaseth Kurunegala & the National center – Caritas SEDEC on 16.10.2016, We the EHED Caritas Trinco had the opportunity to take part.

Participators
Village level Small groups
Farmers
DC Partners
NW Chief minister
Norway Ambassador

CRS Team Meet Lordship

CRS team, Mr John and Ms.  Catherine, meet with Rev.Fr. Director, Programme Manager and  the Finance Officer in the EHED Office

CRS team meet His Lordship the Bishop of Trincomalee in his Office at Orr’s Hill, Trincomalee