My first impression of the British Council was that it was neatly organised and had a well-executed programme which enabled a lot of skill-making. The people I met at the Active Citizens programme in 2014 are an extraordinary bunch of charismatic young leaders. I cherish the fact that I still maintain contacts with them. Interestingly these are the same people who you find at the forefront of youth initiatives in Sri Lanka. That shows how successful the 'Active Citizens' programmes have been. 

My team and I started National Youth Model United Nations (NYMUN) in 2016 with the intention of spreading the concept of MUN around Sri Lanka. Thereby giving young people in this country the opportunity to engage in the arts of diplomacy and conflict resolution, especially given the context of Sri Lanka's violent post-independence history and the role of young people. NYMUN is successfully engaging youth across the nine provinces and we hope to do more by creating vibrant conversations amongst the youth in Sri Lanka to achieve sustainable and peaceful nation-building. 

Interestingly these are the same people who you find at the forefront of youth initiatives in Sri Lanka. That shows how successful the 'Active Citizens' programmes have been.

In 2018, I had the honour of getting selected as Sri Lanka's official Youth Representative to the United Nations. I delivered the national statement on Child's Rights at the General Assembly UN headquarters in New York. At the start of 2019, I was then appointed as a Director at the National Youth Services Council which is the main state entity which falls under the Ministry of Youth Affairs.

I believe that the British Council has been working at the grassroots level and is at the top in Sri Lanka to further the objectives which it stands for. Hence, it stands testament to its success of achieving its goals. The British Council acts as a platform for young people to engage in community-driven initiatives and enables opportunities to whoever works with them. 

 
Share this