“We are creating alliances and want to continue to create awareness. Sri Lanka Unites was founded with an objective to bring about an inclusive Sri Lankan identity and reconciliation among youth. We want to continue to engage and see that relevant authorities are held accountable. We also want to see if there would be a change in policies to protect the environment as well as protect freedom of expression of those who want to voice
their opinions”
Sri Lanka Unites, a youth movement with a vision to unite youth of Sri Lanka from all ethnic and religious groups recently held a series of awareness campaigns in all 25 districts calling on the government and authorities to protect the environment.
The campaigns were held to meet the following objectives:
- End the destruction of forest cover across Sri Lanka
- Intervene in the killings/ deaths of elephants and other wildlife (65 elephants dead just in 2021)
- Stop the harassment of brave young voices against environmental destruction. Issue an apology to Bhagya Abeyratne and ensure freedom for people to express their concerns.
“Environmental destruction is an issue that united the whole country together,” opined Prashan de Visser, Founder and President, Sri Lanka Unites. “We organised the series of campaigns in all 25 districts and had our students rally around society and community leaders. The youth were planting trees, doing beach cleanups, planting mangroves by the lagoon at Muthurajawela to raise awareness about the ongoing destruction. A petition was signed as well and we collected signatures from participants.”
“We are creating alliances and want to continue to create awareness. Sri Lanka Unites was founded with an objective to bring about an inclusive Sri Lankan identity and reconciliation among youth. We want to continue to engage and see that relevant authorities are held accountable. We also want to see if there would be a change in policies to protect the environment as well as protect freedom of expression of those who want to voice their opinions.”
“The event was organised in five days and participants brought plants from their own money. But now that there is an interest we are inviting other organizations to pool in resources and do a programme every other month and build a national movement against environmental destruction,” he added.
