Global Perspectives - Sri Lanka
Charlottesville, Virginia: March 25 – 28, 2009
A group of 18 young Sri Lankan professionals representing marginalized communities participated in the Center’s inaugural Global Perspectives on Democracy (GPD) program on the Grounds of the University of Virginia. This gathering took place in partnership with Relief International and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs during a three week exchange. Participants came to the U.S. to learn about the American system of government and how organizations in this country operate compared to those they work for in Sri Lanka.
The Center hosted four days of classroom exercises, activities and site visits that focused on American history, government, pluralism and civic engagement. The purpose of this training was to provide a general level of knowledge of the American political system, illustrate America’s pluralistic evolution, and exchange ideas on how Sri Lankans can work to build civic participation between its citizens and government.
View the program agenda, a list of speakers and their associated transcripts. Audio files are available upon request.
Sri Lanka: July 31 – August 23, 2009
As a follow-up to the Charlottesville segment of the exchange, the Center staff members who coordinated the program, Meg Heubeck and Daman Irby, were selected to travel to Sri Lanka and participate in the three week return portion of the U.S. Department of State sponsored exchange. They visited organizations and individuals who advocate peaceful co-existence and equal rights for all in Sri Lanka, travelled throughout much of the island to visit cultural sites and view projects started by the 18 GPD participants, and held a workshop on civic engagement, advocacy, and free internet technologies.
Visit http://srilankansupreme.wordpress.com to read about their experiences.
For more information about Global Perspectives – Sri Lanka contact Daman Irby at irby@virginia.edu or 434.243.8475.