Features

Eclipse of Soft Power, a defeat for humanity

Published

2 years ago

2024/03/14

People rushing for food supplies in the Gaza

No happening in the Gaza of today is bound to trouble profoundly those blessed with a conscience than the sight of multitudes of civilians, including, of course, women and children, rushing to take hold of packets of food and other forms of essential relief that manage to trickle into the ravaged strip of land. Famine is the heart-rending lot of Gaza’s inhabitants, but what is equally revolting to the sensitive is the fact that very little or nothing constructive could be done at present by the ‘civilized world’ to ease the lot of Gaza’s denizens.

One of the most troubling aspects of the Gaza tragedy currently is that not even the most powerful of the world could do anything substantive to ease the situation of the suffering civilians of the land. Much may be achieved if the permanent members of the UN Security Council are of one accord on the gut issues in the Gaza and evince some capability of acting in unison to bring succor to the suffering people of the Strip but this is hardly the case. Not even appeals by the UN for giving humanity a chance in the Gaza seem to be carrying any conviction with the sections that matter most in international politics at present.

In other words, the world is compelled to watch gape-mouthed and paralyzed while the torment of the Gaza civilians continues. Clearly, humanity stands resoundingly defeated in the Middle East.

An individual’s or collectivity’s humanity is assessed on the basis of these sections’ ability to extend to less fortunate members of the human family kindliness and a helping hand. Since this is yet to materialize to any notable degree in the region, the analyst would be right in assuming that, besides the populations concerned, it is civilizational values that are being gravely affected in the Gaza imbroglio.

The past few months of trauma and turmoil make it abundantly clear that lingering political polarities of the Middle East and the world are constituting one of the most formidable stumbling blocks to managing effectively the relevant conflict and the resulting blood-letting. The Palestinian side is backed by Islamic hardline states of the region, such as Iran and its allies, while Israel is continuing to be staunchly backed by the US, although the latter is in an effort currently to send aid directly to the Palestinians, having failed in its efforts to even establish a ‘temporary ceasefire’ in the Gaza.

As is known, the US ‘aid drop’ to the Gaza has proved a flop and it is currently exploring the possibility of establishing a pier in the Strip for the purpose of distributing food aid and other essentials.

What is compounding the crisis in the region is the fact that the Palestinian side and its supportive neighbours are receiving the indirect backing of China and Russia, although there has been no physical and tangible involvement by the latter so far in the conflict. Broadly, therefore, we are seeing in the Gaza a replication of the East-West conflict, with China and Russia constituting the East and the US and its allies, the West.

Since both sides are evenly matched militarily and otherwise there is unlikely to be an easing of the blood-letting any time soon, unless there is a fundamental change in approach to the conflict by the main antagonists and their allies. That is, unless and until an effort is made by the parties to the conflict to resolve the crisis by entirely peaceful means, there is unlikely to be a let-up in the war.

The above approach to resolving the conflict would need to be premised on a mindset change on the part of the principal parties, from a confrontational one deriving from East-West power calculations and considerations, to one which would be highly receptive to the principles of peaceful and harmonious living among countries. That is, value-based international relations.

Broadly speaking, the above fundamental re-orientation of international relations would require the warring parties to increasingly replace Hard Power in their relations with each other with Soft Power. That is, ‘Spears’ would need to be replaced with ‘ploughshares’. Dialogue, cooperation and value-based politics would need to take the place of power politics, rooted mainly in the resolution of international and intra-state disputes through the exercising of armed might and its destructive instruments.

It is plain to see that the Hard Power approach is not winning in the Middle East in general and in the Gaza in particular. As events have proved since October 7 last year, the use of Hard Power has only aggravated the suffering of the main parties. Clearly, neither party is showing signs of crumbling under military pressure.

Sensible sections ought to have perceived by now that it is dialogue and other peaceful means of conflict resolution that would ensure the survival of the communities concerned and be in their best interests. The continued use of Hard Power by both parties, on the other hand, would bring them closer to mutual annihilation.

Fortunately for the world, it is not short of examples of effective Soft Power initiatives. In South Asia, there is the case of India, where the creation of Linguistic States in increasing numbers has enabled the country to pre-empt the explosive emergence of identity-based revolts within disaffected states over the decades.

Rather than depend entirely on military means to resolve these disputes, the Indian centre has chosen to recognize the linguistic and cultural uniqueness of the relevant states and decentralize power on them on the basis of these identities. This has enabled potentially break-away states to remain within the Indian Union. Here basically, power-sharing, which is a Soft Power tool, has triumphed over Hard Power.

Interestingly, Iran has been home to political leaders who have looked well beyond parochial identity politics to value based politics, which have the potential to cement unity among seemingly disparate identity groups and communities. One such far-seeing leader is former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. It is he who originated the concept, ‘Dialogue among Civilizations’, as a counter to Western political scientist, Dr. Samuel Huntingdon’s theory of a ‘Clash of Civilizations’, which was birthed in the nineties decade which witnessed the emergence of identity-based militant movements, many of which resorted to terror.

While Huntingdon viewed post-1991 international politics as essentially featuring a ‘Clash of Civilization’, in view of world politics being dominated by identity issues since then, Khatami pointed out that cultures and civilizations could be united on the basis of shared values. Khatami’s formulation carries much credit because irrespective of whether civilizations are of Eastern or Western origin they have values and ideals in common, such as, consideration for others and compassion.

Unfortunately, over the years, theories such as Khatami’s have come to be soft-peddled as a result of major powers and their alliances depending heavily on Hard Power as a means of conflict resolution. However, the mayhem in Gaza is pointing to the need to revive Soft Power discourses on an urgent basis since Soft Power is proving the wisest option.

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Features

Proactive peacemaking becomes a paramount need

Published

11 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wasting wars: Some war-displaced people in Lebanon. BBC

It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.

As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.

However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.

The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.

However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.

A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.

There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.

At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.

When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.

Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.

As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.

However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.

However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.

The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.

Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.

Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.

Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.

It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.

In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.

The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.

This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.

Features

Dialog Brings Sri Lanka’s Largest Digital Vesak Experience to Matara

Published

11 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left to right: Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, and Lasantha Theverapperuma experience the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered VR tours.

Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.

One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.

Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.

Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.

Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.

Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”

Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”

Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.

Features

Beauty, elegance and talent…for women

Published

11 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.

According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.

Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.

With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.

The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026

A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.

Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.

The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.

Launching the first round of auditions

The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.