Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning

Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning has been launched at Sarvodaya Development Education Institute at Bandaragama with the opening of new AJJDC Auditorium on the 29th of April, 2009 in the presence of a large gathering. The auditorium has been ceremonially opened by Professor Gamini Samaranayake, the Chairman of University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka, who was the Chief Guest of the occasion, Dr. Amos Avgar, the Executive Director of International Development Programme of American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJJDC) and Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, the Founder President of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement.

The Auditorium, representing a unique architectural design, has been constructed with the generous support of American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to improve development education opportunities of the Sri Lankan rural communities. This institute will serve as the Pioneer Center of Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning to AJJDC- Sarvodaya Community Disaster Management Center at Moratuwa, 4 Multi-Purpose Community Centers and other 6 Sarvodaya Development Education Institutes around the country including the institutes in Trincomalee and Batticaloa.

Professor Gamini Samaranayake underscored the importance of Higher Education Institutes for the development of the country in his key note speech. Dr. Amos Avgar appreciated this initiative as result of long standing cordial collaboration between AJJDC and Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement.

The Vice Chairman of the University Grant Commission, Professor M. T. M. Jiffry, Professor Rohan Samarajiva, the Executive Director of LIRNEasia, Mr. A. S. Jayawardane, former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, an international disaster management delegate representing Aid-Beyond-Asia from Israel, India, Thailand, Maldives and Turkey, representatives of Sarvodaya Development Education Institutes and Sarvodaya villages also participated at the occasion.