The "Young Leaders International Peace Day Programme 2008" organized by the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) in collaboration with Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO and the Business for Peace Alliance (BPA) on September 22 saw a group of diverse enterprising school children interacting and working together in a bid to exchange ideas on peace.

Seven Colombo Schools including the five host schools for the "Learn and Lead" scholarship recipients namely St. Thomas College Mt. Lavinia, Ladies College, Holy Family Bambalapitiya, Methodist college and St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena as well as Bishop’s College and St. Bridget’s College participated in the programme.

Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, former Under Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs, UN delivered the keynote address on the role of youth in promoting peace and building leadership, Prof. Rajiva Wijesingha, Secretary General SCOPP, C. S. Poolokasingham, Deputy Secretary General SCOPP and Ms. Manique Mendis, Secretary General, BPA made presentations highlighting the importance of peace, and on issues related to the current peace process in Sri Lanka.

Prithi Perera, Secretary General Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO addressed the gathering on the importance of the culture of peace and stressed on the importance of preventing conflict. "The state of disorder and confusion in the society is shaping the children’s innocent minds. Therefore there is a need to rear peace in the hearts of children and to develop peace-related disciplines such as values education, moral education, global education, etc.".

Dhanapala in his keynote address reiterated the importance of the role of youth in providing leadership. "Human Rights are essential to peace, many people in the world see their Human Rights violated. We therefore have to depend on your generation to usher in peace for all ethnic and religions groups".

Following the presentation of books and certificates to the participants, a very interactive group exercise on perceptions and recommendations related to the peace process was conducted by Pushpi Weerakoon, "Learn & Lead" Project Manager with facilitators from the "Weeramantry International Centre for Peace Education and Research" ensuring active participation by all students. Ms. Mendis, at the end of the session noted that the presentations of the students were extremely powerful and their ability to work together and as a team has sent a strong message on peace.

Special mention must be made of the "Learn and Lead" scholars who were present at the programme from as far as Anuradhapura, Badulla, Muttur, Trincomalee, Welimada, Hatton and Kebithigollawa. The scholarship has given them the privilege to continue their Advanced Level studies in leading Colombo schools such as S. Thomas College Mt. Lavinia, Ladies College, Holy Family Bambalapitiya, Methodist College and St. Benedicts Kotahena.

According to the Project Manager Pushpi Weerakoon, "Learn and Lead project initiated by BPA as a Conflict Transformation and reconciliation project, aims to make a positive contribution to bright, underprivileged adolescents, acknowledging structural inequalities caused by the conflict in all parts of the country that restricts opportunities for quality education, Since the local culture mostly consists of leaders produced from Colombo based schools, which has created a huge cleavage and regional disparity, we are looking into strengthening the next generation leadership that is diverse from all the regions rather than being mostly Colombo centered favouring a centralized structure of leadership".

Having seen how much the first phase of scholars have benefited already by having the chance to choose what ever the A/L stream they want to and extra curricular activities to enhance their future prospects unlike in the regions which limits their options due to limited resources and volatile situations, Pushpi invites Institutions/Organisations and kind individuals to join hands with them to "help more bright students from the regions to achieve their goals and fulfill their future aspirations to become mindful citizens which would result in a peaceful coexisting country".

More information about Learn and Lead could be obtained from www.bpalearnandlead.blogspot.com,www.bpa-srilanka.com, http://lead.gdcci.com/learn

Fathima Nuzha, Learn and Lead scholar studying at Methodist Collage said, "We had an opportunity to meet students from other schools. I think that it is possible to build peace and take the message of peace through such programmes".

From Anuradhapura, Tharani Akila Lokuarachchi, a scholar at Ladies College noted that interaction with the other students was a wonderful experience.

"I am from Anuradhapura and the other girls and boys never treated me differently. They were very nice to me and appreciated my inputs," she added.