Future Leaders Conference Season 5

By-Ramzi Zain Deen

It’s that time of the year where we prepare ourselves to get ready for our annual future leaders conference (FLC). After half a decade of leading the way to reach the grass roots this year our focus is to reach the masses by having the FLC in the southern coast. Being verbal about ethnic harmony and diversity has limited impact, therefore from the initiation we were striving to be proactive and create change through positive action.

Our Road to reconciliation began during the time of war promoting the beauty of diversity and to understand the true potential of a unified Sri Lanka. We believe, through positive interaction and working towards achieving a common goal, people in this country will submit to love, respect and empathy, which by all means holds the key for ethnic harmony.

Research proves that people living in the north do not get an opportunity to associate with the Sinhalese communities and the Sinhalese in the south do not get an opportunity to associate with the Tamils. Therefore assumptions made against each other proven to be destructive that it retained to be dominant for 30 years with flying bomb shells, bullets and mass destruction of human lives and livelihoods from all parts of the country.

As a first step for building a bridge of respect and understanding among all ethnic groups in this country Sri Lanka Unites came up with an idea of inviting school leaders who will be the leaders of the future generations to a central location and make them interact, live and win as a group and a team. At this juncture SLU has a membership of 10,000 inspiring leaders representing all 25 districts from over 100 schools. And we strongly believe that exercising this simple practice of interaction and working together will be the first step towards eradicating false assumptions and enhancing the value of a unified Sri Lanka.

With the strong belief of creating young leaders who will be advocates for hope and reconciliation we march forward to pave the way for a peaceful and a prosperous Sri Lanka, If you think you can be an advocate for peace be a part of the team.