From: Bertal <bertal@unitymission.lk>
Date: Sun, Jan 24, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Unity Mission Trust - Begins 2016 on a strong note!
To:
Dear Respected Recipient,
Please do permit me to share with you the fact, that Unity Mission Trust conducted its first National Youth Leaders Conference. 46 hand-picked youth leaders from 12 districts were invited to participate in this 2 -day event on 9th and 10th January in Colombo.
The year 2016, thus began with a very practical, grassroots level conference on practical application of unity, integration, healing and reconciliation initiatives amongst the 7500 youth who have previously been a part of Unity Mission Trust programmes. Practical application of Sri Lanka's real needs !
*The Keynote speakers were Mr Mano Tittawella and Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy. Maj Gen ( R) Lohan Goonewardena ( Chairman of Trust) and Mr N Vasantha Kumar ( Trustee and CEO/GM of Peoples Bank) and Rukshan Perera ( International Musician and Trustee) also addressed the Youth Leaders present. The undersigned, as Founder Trustee/Co-ordinator delivered a motivational presentation for the way forward for the year 2016 and beyond. Trustees Mr Reyaz Mihular and Ms Anushya Coomaraswamy also made it a point to be present at the sessions.
*Harindi Suriyaarachchi ( Kandy - former Head Prefect of Hillwood College and Kandy Regional Leader ); T. Purusothma ( Jaffna Regional Leader - former Prefect of St Johns Jaffna); Sushmitha Ramesh ( Regional Leader Killinochchi - former Head Prefect St Theresa's Girls School ); Wasana Maltharika ( Regional Leader Ambalangoda - Former Head Prefect of Sri Devananda ) ; Nimesha Jayamanne ( Regional Leader - Colombo - former Head Prefect St Lawrence Convent ) and S. Mayuran Raj ( Regional Leader- Mannar - former Prefect of St Xavier's College ) presented well made papers on a range of practical topics to take forward the work of Unity Mission Trust. Conference sessions were chaired by Sasha Pinto-Jayawardena.
*The papers presentations were followed by group discussions and plenary sessions to work out specific recommendations. This was followed by a very intense session on the 2nd day of building up networks and inter-relationships. This was a strengthening of the bridges of friendships that already exist and working out specific action plans to link up on an inter-regional basis through 2016.
Thank you for your prayers, funding support and encouragement that enables us to work in this our 8th year of working with Youth to build the future of Sri Lanka! - please find hereunder a collage of photos to give you a feel of the event.