The Harmony Centre of the University of Vavuniya organised the Harmony Centre Webinar Series for undergraduate students and public officials in 2021 and 2022. Each webinar covered important topics related to peace, reconciliation, safety, and community harmony. Moreover, these events brought together expert guest speakers from Sri Lanka and abroad.
Voices of Victims and the Road to Reconciliation
The Harmony Centre held the first webinar on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at 7 p.m. Sri Lankan Time. Around 110 participants joined the online session. Ms. Aamina Muhsin, Co-Founder of the Easter Attack Survivors Project (EASP) and Youth Ambassador of the Global Peace Institute, Sri Lanka, served as the guest speaker. She spoke on “Voices of Victims and the Road to Reconciliation.” Furthermore, participants gained a valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of community peace and the importance of reconciliation.
National Safety Day 2021
On December 26, 2021, at 3 p.m. Sri Lankan Time, the Harmony Centre, the Project Management Club of the Department of Project Management, and Friendly ASIA jointly hosted a webinar on National Safety Day 2021. More than 150 participants attended the session. Two distinguished guest speakers led the programme. Professor Dilanthi Amarathunga, Head of the Global Disaster Resilience Centre, University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom, spoke on Risk-Informed Decision Making on Development Agenda in Pandemic Crisis. Ms. Anoja Seneviratne, Director of Mitigation, Research and Development Division, Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka, spoke on Mainstreaming DRR in Development Projects in Sri Lanka.
Going Beyond Territories of the Identities
On January 3, 2022, at 6 p.m. Sri Lankan Time, the World University Friends (WUF) and the Harmony Centre jointly held a webinar for undergraduate students and public servants. The session focused on “Going Beyond Territories of the Identities to Create a Harmonious World Toward Social Reconciliation.” Dr. Kuma Iddamallena, a master trainer in NLP and MMVT and a personality and leadership training specialist, served as the guest speaker.
Rebuilding the Communities Through Harmony Centre
The Harmony Centre held its fourth webinar on February 28, 2022, at 3 p.m. The session focused on “Rebuilding the Communities Through Harmony Centre” for staff, students, government employees, and community members. Guest speaker Ms. Nahdiya Nasoordeen Danish, LLB (London), Attorney-at-Law (Sri Lanka), and MHRD (AP-COL), joined the virtual session. Mrs. S. Mathivathany, Director of the Harmony Centre, delivered the introduction and welcoming speeches. Additionally, Prof. T. Mangaleswaran, Vice-Chancellor, made a special presentation in support of the Harmony Centre’s initiatives. She spoke on fostering peace and unity through a participatory approach, harmony, and reconciliation. She also highlighted developing capacity, learning new languages, uniting diverse religious communities, and encouraging unity through diversity.
Overall, the Harmony Centre Webinar Series successfully promoted peace, reconciliation, and community harmony across the University of Vavuniya and beyond.