The first workshop in a series on the “Importance of Peace and Reconciliation” was successfully held on 8 September 2026 at the auditorium of the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat, under the project titled “Ensuring the Rights of the Malaiyaha Community through Inclusive Approaches for Peace and Social Cohesion among the Sinhala, Muslim and Malaiyaha Tamil Communities.”
The project is jointly implemented by the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration in Sri Lanka and the Voice of the Plantation People Organization (VOPP) in the Galle District.
The workshop was successfully conducted under the guidance of the Divisional Secretary of Elpitiya. Special invitees included Mr. Leel Sadakelum, Planning Director of the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat; Mr. Dasun Weerasinghe, District National Integration Coordinator attached to the District Secretariat and Bope-Poddala Divisional Secretariat; and Ms. Priyadarshani, National Integration Development Officer, serving in charge at the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat and attached to the Welivitiya-Divithura Divisional Secretariat. They shared their views and experiences on peace and reconciliation. Ms. Nilanthi, Women’s Affairs Officer of the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat, also participated in the workshop.
A total of 30 participants took part in the workshop: 15 Sinhala representatives from the Sahjeewana Foundation in the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat area and 15 representatives fromMalaiyaha Tamil community.
The workshop created an opportunity to build friendly relationships between the two communities and encouraged participants to understand each other’s life experiences, challenges, social realities, and backgrounds.
During a particularly moving exchange of experiences, a Sinhala woman became emotional and, with tears in her eyes, said:
“I had never heard about the lives of the Malaiyaha Tamil people before. I feel very sad when I think about what they have gone through and the lives they are living.”
— A Sinhala mother, sharing her feelings with tears
Her words clearly demonstrated how important it is to learn about and understand the lived experiences of different communities in building peace, reconciliation, and social cohesion.
Mr. Anthony Jesudasan, Executive Director of the Voice of the Plantation People Organization (VOPP), served as a resource person for the workshop. Ms. Lavina Hasanthi, Program Director; Ms. V. Priyadarshini, National Program Coordinator; and Ms. K. Harshani, Galle District Coordinator, together with the VOPP team, provided the necessary support for the successful implementation of the programme.
VOPP extends its special appreciation and gratitude to the Chairperson and Director General of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration; the Divisional Secretary of Elpitiya and all officers of the Divisional Secretariat; Mr. Dasun Weerasinghe, District National Integration Coordinator; and Ms. Priyadarshini, National Integration Development Officer serving in charge at the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat and attached to the Welivitiya-Divithura Divisional Secretariat, for their valuable support in making this programme a success.
The workshop provided participants with a deeper understanding of the importance of strengthening mutual understanding, trust, respect, and peaceful coexistence between the Sinhala and Malaiyaha Tamil communities. It also created space for participants to discuss practical, community-level approaches to reducing the social distance between different communities, respecting each other’s experiences and identities, and building a more peaceful and inclusive society.
Peace is built by listening to one another | Reconciliation is built by understanding one another. |Coexistence is built by respecting one another.
