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British High Commission hosts panel discussion on role of women in peace building

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British High Commission in Colombo (BHC) hosted a panel discussion on the role of women in peace building and announced new global programme of support to women mediators on Oct 23, a press release said.

It said that the BHC had hosted a virtual panel discussion on ‘New Barriers to Women in Peace building: Cyber-Sexual and Gender Based Violence, Gendered Disinformation and Hate Speech’.  Featuring on the panel, hosted by the British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton was: Amibika Satkunanathan (Chairperson, Neelan Tiruchelvan Trust); Dharini Priscilla (Programme manager, The Grasrooted Trust); Sachini Perera (Queer Feminist Researcher), and Shreen Saroor (Women’s Rights Activist).

The panelists, who are leading women’s and human rights activists, have extensively contributed to peace building and social cohesion in Sri Lanka. They drew on their professional and personal experiences in tackling gendered hate speech and cyber-Sexual and Gender Based Violence.  The Panel shared calls to action to work together with civil society and technology companies to tackle abuse; to challenge unequal norms; and to support victims of abuse including building online and offline responses.

British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton in her opening remarks said: “In Sri Lanka, the British High Commission works to ensure that it delivers for women, girls and sexual and gender minorities. The UK is proud to contribute to demining efforts, where up to 40% of employees are female, and many are female heads of households. We have also worked with the Sri Lanka Police Force to promote gender equality and to respond effectively to Sexual and Gender Based Violence. Wider UK programmes have supported gender-sensitive justice mechanisms and women’s empowerment. Future plans include support to tackle harms faced by women, and vulnerable groups online.”

In a virtual address to the United Nations on Oct 29, UK Middle East Minister James Cleverly announced a new £1m global programme of assistance to women mediators across Commonwealth countries.  The funding will provide women on the frontline of peace talks with training, mentoring and resources for their participation in peace building.  It will also encourage the inclusion of women at all levels of negotiations, including at the UN.  This programme was complemented by new international guidance to protect women peace builders, initiated by the UK.

The event was held in honour of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, the first UN resolution to define the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.  The agenda aims to reduce the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls, as well as to champion the crucial role women can play in humanitarian action, conflict prevention, and resolution. At its 20th anniversary, the WPS agenda remains a vital issue, compounded by new and evolving barriers to peacebuilding, including climate change, COVID-19, and as the panel highlighted cyber-violence.

According to research by UN Women and the Council on Foreign Relations, when women meaningfully participate in peace talks, the resulting agreement is 64% less likely to fail and 35% more likely
to last at least 15 years. Yet between 1990 and 2017, women made up only 2% of mediators, 8% of negotiators, and 5% of witnesses and signatories in all major peace processes.



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Vraie Cally Balthazaar elected Mayor of Colombo MC

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National People’s Power (NPP) councilor Vraie Cally Balthazaar has been elected as the new Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

Councilor Balthazaar received 61 votes while Riza Zarook of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya obtained 54 votes at the election.

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Numerous Clean Sri Lanka initiatives were implemented in Anuradhapura during Poson week

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Aligned with the 2025 National Poson Festival, the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat spearheaded several environmentally conscious initiatives during Poson Week, including maintaining cleanliness in areas surrounding the Atamasthana (Eight Sacred Places). Key waste management measures included the establishment of permanent, covered enclosures for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste receptacles near the Atamasthana and Mihintale. Dedicated plastic bottle collection bins were strategically placed alongside general waste bins and in collaboration with Ceypetco, discarded barrels were repurposed as waste containers.

Significant support came from sponsors including the Irrigation Department, ARPICO, Rambewa Mechanical Engineering Works, the Cargills and Keells Group (for plastic containers), Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka (for plastic collection bins), and Ceypetco and the Sri Lanka Army (for waste bins).

Additional safety and awareness initiatives included placing waste bins near bathing areas and bridges adjacent to major reservoirs (Tissa Wewa, Basawakkulama Wewa, Nuwara Wewa, Mahakanadarawa Wewa, Nachchaduwa Wewa, Bulankulama Wewa and Kunchikulama Wewa) to reduce littering. Warning signs were installed at hazardous locations and lifesaving personnel and naval craft were deployed during the Poson Week.

Waste bins for bridge areas were supplied by Phoenix Industries and ARPICO, while informational signage around the Sacred City was sponsored by AIA, Ceylinco and Sri Lanka Insurance. Overall coordination was managed by the Anuradhapura Municipal Commissioner.

A Clean Sri Lanka coordination centre established within the Poson Zone facilitated awareness programmes for schoolchildren and the general public on themes such as environmental stewardship and intergenerational responsibility. These efforts involved Provincial and District Secretaries and institutions including the Post-Harvest Technology Institute. Additional programmes were held targeting public officials and citizens focused on national food security, financial literacy and ethical public service.

Environmental sustainability projects carried out during the week included canal cleaning in collaboration with the Irrigation Department, Provincial Irrigation Department and the Department of Agrarian Development and a tree-planting initiative titled “Environmental Security” in partnership with the Forest Conservation Department and school communities.

Personality development and leadership workshops were also conducted. A full-day session was held on 7 June 2025 at St. Thomas’ College, Anuradhapura (7:30 AM to 7:30 PM), sponsored by Perera & Sons, the Anuradhapura Lions Club and the Dream Force Sri Lanka Society. Similar workshops were conducted at Maithripala Senanayake Vidyalaya and Swarnamali Balika Vidyalaya.

On 11 June 2025, a morning awareness session for rural farmers was held, covering Post-Harvest Technology (presented by  C.R. Gunawardana, National Post-Harvest Management Institute) and Financial Management (presented by Duminda Disanayake, Central Bank of Sri Lanka), featuring a special address by MP Susantha Kumara Navaratne.

On the morning of 12 June 2025, the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat and the Anuradhapura Municipal Council jointly conducted a waste removal drive at the Basawakkulama Wewa tank bund, extracting plastic, polythene and other refuse. Participants included venerable monks from the Sri Lanka Bhikkhu University Bhikkhu Student Association, Anuradhapura Mayor  N. Karunaratne, the Association President and lay devotees. That afternoon, the Secretariat’s Music Therapy programme began at the Surapura Open Air Theatre, Anuradhapura, attended by over a thousand personnel from the armed forces, police, Civil Security Department and state institutions.

A special lecture was also delivered by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Madhura Gunawardana.

[PMD]

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Workshop on the use of AI to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the public service

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A special workshop on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the public service into a more productive and efficient entity was held on Sunday (15) at Temple Trees.

Titled “AI for Transforming Public Service,” the workshop was attended by officials of the Presidential Secretariat. It aimed to serve as an initial orientation for a major government initiative, the digitalization of the public service, by raising awareness and preparing officials, while also fostering a positive perception of artificial intelligence within the public sector.

Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, Senior Advisor to the President on the Digital Economy, delivered the keynote address. Sanjaya Karunaseena, Executive Director of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka, also presented a brief address. Subsequently, Harsha Purasinghe and Samisa Abeysinghe, board members of ICTA, conducted awareness sessions incorporating practical demonstrations.

The event was also attended by the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage and several other senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat.

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