The 4th Training for Trusteeship (TFT) Programme was conducted by the Weeramantry International Centre for Peace Education and Research (WICPER) at the SANASA Education Campus, Kegalle, Sri Lanka from September 4 – 11, 2011. This programme brought together over 70 outstanding young leaders from the South Asian Region and the United States, and they were selected from universities and outstanding youth organizations in their respective countries.
This training workshop is based on the concept of trusteeship – our duties toward each other, the environment and the common human future. During the last few years, those who have benefited from this training had conducted a number of social advancement projects in various parts of Sri Lanka with the aim of achieving the MDG’s and other sustainable development objectives. This work has thus generated much interest in various parts of the world.
This year’s programme was conducted under the subtheme – Youth Activation: Duties Toward Our Common Heritage and WICPER, partnered with a number of international, regional and national organizations in conducting this training. These were as follows;
a) UNESCO National Commission Sri Lanka
b) International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Sri Lanka
c) Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment and Ministry of External Affairs
d) Department of Immigration & Emigration Sri Lanka
e) Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO) Sri Lanka and India
f) International Year of Volunteers + 10 (IYV + 10), Sri Lanka
g) United Nations Volunteers – UNDP, Sri Lanka
h) World Future Council – Hamburg, Germany
i) Earth Charter International, Costa Rica
j) Right Livelihood Award Foundation, Sweden
k) Right Livelihood Award College, Penang, Malaysia
l) UN Year of Forests 2011
m) UN Year of Youth 2011
n) RIO + 20 – UN Conference on Sustainable Development
The 4th Training for Trusteeship (TFT) Programme brought together leading authorities from a wide array of disciplines to concentrate on the subtheme – youth activation: duties toward our common heritage for the one week duration of the training. As customarily followed the programme was opened by Judge C.G. Weeramantry, Founder – Trustee, of WICPER on September 4th, 2011. US Ambassador Butenis, whilst congratulating the organizers stated that ‘this year’s program provides a tremendous opportunity for you to build on the track records you have established as dynamic, motivated, and visionary young leaders’. A number of religious dignitaries, especially drawn from the Kegalle District blessed the event prior to commencement. Further, a large number of leading school principals and teachers were invited to the event in recognition of their contributions.
The opening day, September 4th, covered the conceptual basis for the training, with the keynote address delivered by Judge Weeramantry, which highlighted the philosophy of trusteeship. On the same day, a session on the significance of ‘positive connectivity’, was facilitated by Dr. Maneesha Wanasinghe – Pasqual, Director, South Asia in Global Politics, Department of International Relations, University of Colombo. Two members from each of the participating countries were then invited to make short presentations on their nations and to cover the following areas of interest – MDG’s, peacebuilding and youth activities/action.
Mr Micheal Silberman, Director, Innovations, Greenpeace International and Ms Susannah Vila, Director – Content and Outreach, Movements.org, conducted full-day training on strategy, new media and winning campaigns on September 5th, 2011. This training was crucial for the participants at this year’s TFT programme as they were required to draft project proposals aimed at social advancement across national boundaries and new media technologies and social media networking tools are essential in achieving the objectives of such projects.
The 3rd day of the training was focused on volunteerism. Partnering with Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO), International Year of Volunteers + 10 (IYV+10) Sri Lanka and UNV, training was facilitated by a group of facilitators. Mr Rahul Nainawal, Founder of IVolunteers, India, and Consultant to VSO India, carried out training on volunteer management tools, inspiring volunteerism to achieve sustainable development.
Mr Kushil Gunasekera, Founder of Foundation of Goodness, delivered an inspirational address on the philosophy of goodness, and discussed some of the achievements of the Foundation of Goodness as a sustainable rural development project. The participants were inspired by this session and engaged Mr Gunasekera in dialogue for over an hour subsequent to his presentation.
Mr Nainwal, and Ms Anushna Thangakone, conducted further sessions on skills development in volunteers and the day was concluded with a presentation by Mr Fadhil Bakeer Markar on IYV + 10 and Volunteer Awards planned by Volunteer Forum Sri Lanka.
On Wednesday, September 7th, 2011, Dr Ajantha Perera, an environmental scientist and Ashokan Fellow, conducted a community engaged training and learning session on sustainable waste disposal management systems (which is one of the ten points emphasized by UN Environment Programme as requiring significant effort in achieving sustainability with the means of Rio + 20) with the support of the Udunuwara Pradeshiyasabha in Kandy. This involved the participants interviewing the local council Chairman, his Committee and several other political persons connected with the administrative aspects of the local division which was selected for this training. Subsequently, the participants engaged, interviewed and discussed with local community – vendors, markets, schools, and residence. Finally, the participants were taken to a proposed dumpsite, where a sustainable solid waste management system was being developed by the local authority under the guidance and leadership of Dr Ajantha Perera, who is also an advisor to both the Ministry of Environment and Health in Sri Lanka.
On Thursday, September 8th, 2011 was dedicated to cross cultural understanding and dialogue, and the day began with an inspirational dialogue session by Judge Weeramantry. This was followed by a cross cultural concert through which social values and duty to care was highlighted through the performances by deaf, blind children as well as those who fell into the category of Downs’s syndrome and Rubella Syndrome. There were performances by many artists, who were dedicating their lives and energy to preserve the ancient performing arts in Sri Lanka and highlighted the importance of audio-visual arts in constructive transforming conflict.
On Friday, September 9th, which was dedicated to Global Issues and Trusteeship, Mr Vimukthi Weeratunge, Director – Operations, Environmental Foundation Limited (one of the leading Public Interest Litigation Firms in Sri Lanka) and an expert biologist, took the participants on a guided nature tour, in the early hours, through the “Kurulu Kelei (Bird Sanctuary)”, which is situated in close proximity to the venue, within the city of Kegalle itself. The loss of forest cover, management of forests and biodiversity, and duties placed upon young leaders to take proactive steps in order to protect such things so that future generations could also benefit from it were some of the key points of this session.
On returning to the venue, Mr Rathika De Silva and Mr Azam Bakeer Markar, Members of UN Global Compact Sri Lanka, facilitated a session which discussed the significant contributions that business conglomerates can make to achieving sustainability. The responsibilities placed upon the business/corporate world through the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact was elaborated on whilst the participants were allowed to intervene at various points.
Mr Joseph Witters, Social Media Advisor to the Bureau of South and Central Asia, Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, State Department, USA, facilitated a session on the importance of social media and strategizing campaigns online. This was followed up by a breakout session, wherein the participants in their respective groups got an opportunity to clarify questions with regard to social media with Mr Witters who was joined by Mr Silberman and Ms Vila for the final session.
On Saturday, 10th, the participants, in their respective groups presented their project proposals which were drafted throughout the week.
The proposals by groups are as follows – (with a summary outline of its concentration)
Group A – ISPARK – Igniting the Spark within Youth – Training Workshop for Young leaders
Group B – Imaginative Leadership – Young leaders training
Group C – Eco-Friendly Habit formation in Children (2nd Place)
Group D – Full Picture: Tourism with a story – Eco – Tourism Project (Special Mention)
Group E – Project Green – Bioregions Study and Campaigning network
Group F – Friends of the Differently-Abled – FODA – The Ramp Movement (Special Mention)
Group G – I Don’t want to live in a bin – Slumdwellers rights, education and sustainable solid waste management project (1st place)
It was emphasized that the participants were to get together in carrying out these projects on returning to their home nations, institutions and or regions. On the final day of the Workshop, the participants engaged in a time capsule to give feed-back re the workshop and future directions of the Training for Trusteeship Programme. This was followed by an educational tour of the city of Kandy, with visits to World Heritage Sites including the Temple of the Tooth Relic and Lankathilaka Viharaya.
On returning to the venue, the SANASA Education Campus in Kegalle, the President’s and Queen’s Scouts organized a farewell Bonfire for the participants, which was further highlighted by the performances by the participants themselves.
Subsequently, a pledge was made to stay connected and united to make a better world through the learning, skills development and engaged learning received at the Training for Trusteeship Workshop 2011.
TFT SECRETARIAT: MR. NESHAN GUNASEKERA, PROJECT DIRECTOR, WICPER – TFT WORKSHOP
Tel: +94 11 (0) 2500229 Mob: +94 (0) 777311655 web: www.wicper.org email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
