Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne

Born November 5, 1931, Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is the founder of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka. A former high school teacher at Nalanda College, conducted the first shramadana work camp in 1958, eventually leading the largest non-government organization in the country. The father of six distinguished adult children, [...]

As a Sri Lankan, it gives me pain of mind to speak on the subject of peacemaking in Sri Lanka. It is more painful when this subject has to be discussed in the Buddhist context. When Sri Lanka was Buddhist, both in precept and practice, there was no need to talk about peacemaking because there [...]

“Sarvodaya” means Universal Awakening and its Leader, Dr. Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne has been in pursuit of this ideal for about half a century, The Sarvodaya Movement guided by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi has become a huge Peace Movement in the fields of consciousness building, human rights, development, health care, ecological farming and education. It [...]

By Dr.A.T.Ariyaratne

I consider it an honour to have been called upon to deliver the fifth commemorative lecture in memory of the late Deshamanya Al-haj Mohamed Abdul Bakeer Markar. I had the privilege of knowing him as a Member of Parliament, the Speaker and the Governor of the Southern Province. This assignment is [...]