RECONNECTING, REBUILDING, AND RECONCILING

We Sri Lanka was launched in 2010 to promote reconciliation and togetherness among the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, and Burgher communities following the end of the long-running conflict in Sri Lanka. Events have featured expert talks, panel discussions, cultural performances, and fundraising efforts to support vulnerable communities in conflict affected areas. The programme has contributed to the rebuilding effort in conflict affected areas by providing scholarships for war affected children, financial assistance for widows, artificial limbs for disabled people, and IT equipment for the Jaffna Library.

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH GREEN ENERGY

In 2020, APSL partnered with the Foundation of Goodness in Sri Lanka to establish a solar village in Puthiya Nagar, a newly re-settled village with refugees from conflict affected areas in the Vanni. Renewable energy from the 5kW solar system now illuminates and powers the Community Centre that houses a Library, a Preschool and facilities to provide essential healthcare services and livelihood training for people in surrounding areas. Savings from the Net-Plus solar system are now being utilised to construct a kitchen for the Community Centre so nutritious meals can be provided to the children of the preschool.

BUILDING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

We Sri Lanka Talks aims to raise awareness about ESG themes such as topics sustainability, social inclusivity and governance. Launched in 2021, the series have featured talks on reconciliation, renewable energy, and economic policy and women’s empowerment. Our event at UCL London in March 2024 focused on "Transcending the Climate Crisis and creating a Green Growth, Net Zero Economy." Prof Mohan Munasinghe, Vice Chair UN IPCC and 2021 Blue Planet Prize Laureate gave the keynote address, and Prof IM Dharmadasa spoke about the role of Solar Villages in helping to alleviate poverty and create sustainable livelihoods.
Our most recent event WE SRI LANKA 2025 celebrating the 15th anniversary of the programme featured:

• Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy, former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, and former Chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
• Professor Maheshi Ramasamy of the Oxford Vaccine Group that pioneered the development of the vaccine against Covid-19, and
• Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, former President of the British Medical Association.

A panel discussion on the theme “Ingenuity into Action: Leading the charge on women’s empowerment” was also held where several accomplished women from a wide range of professions such as architecture, business, consulting, economic policy, education, hospitality, information technology, medicine and responsible sourcing spoke about how they successfully navigated gender-based challenges to achieve both their career and family related aspirations.

Please contact Don Gihantha Jayasinghe, Programme Lead, WE SRI LANKA at wesrilanka@apsl.org.uk if you have any questions, or wish to support our impact-led work in Sri Lanka or in the UK.