Dr Ari

Amid reports of suicide bombings and shelling going on in Sri Lanka, a diminutive man steps up on a podium at the George Ignatieff theatre at the University of Toronto in Canada. He is surrounded by the ambassadors and councilors for Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan; respected academics and University Presidents; all assembled in solemn procession to celebrate a lifetime of enlightened service to a country and people badly in need not only of the barest necessities of life, but a compassionate vision that strives toward unity and acceptance of one and all. In his soft yet vibrant voice he reminds us all that before attempting to change the world, we must change ourselves: “Metta” he tells us, is the practice of compassionate action towards all living beings. “Respect all life”, says Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne and the tragic irony of his words is not lost on us.

The University of Toronto in Canada has selected Dr A. T. Ariyaratne (Founder & President) of the Sarvodaya Movement to receive the “Acharya Sushil Kumar International Peace Award” for the year 2005.

During the year 2003, Prof. Joan Tolengy received the International Peace Award, while in the year 2004, His Holiness Dalai Lama received the International Peace Award. The third personality who has been selected to receive this Award is Dr A. T. Ariyaratne.

In the midst of traditional drumming and music, President Mahinda Rajapakse declared open the Lagoswatta village that Sarvodaya constructed for fifty-five Tsunami-affected families from three villages in Kalutara. Designed and implemented as a model of participatory development towards environmental sustainability, the village is an innovative concept in Sri Lanka. It was financed by Sarvodaya as well as American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJJDC), the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED).

President Rajapakse and the Founder-President of Sarvodaya, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne ceremonially opened the village by unveiling the plaque of the housing project, hoisting flags, and handing over the keys of the houses to the new owners. President Rajapakse, Dr. Ariyaratne, and other dignitaries personally cut ribbons and took part in religious blessings in two of the houses while the rest of the house keys were handed over on the main stage. The celebrations were enlivened by dancers and the band from Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya.

Sarvodaya, as part of its continuing action programme for peace in Sri Lanka held yet another important landmark event in Trincomallee (in the Eastern Province) from 16th – 19th February 2006.

Trincomallee, a district which has a mixed population of Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims has been one of the worse affected areas during the 20 year armed conflict. Eventhough the ceasefire agreement of 2002 brought an end to the direct hostilities between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE and the guns and bombs were silent, other forms of violence persisted, particularly in the Eastern Province, which consists of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts. This multi-ethnic and multi-religious area of Sri Lanka has remained the victim of deep-seated communal tension.

The first part of the Sarvodaya peace event in Trincomallee was a youth camp titled “compassionate youth gathering”. Over 650 youth and peace activists from all parts of Sri Lanka participated in this 3 day peace event held at the Sarvodaya District Centre premises in Trincomallee.

October 3rd marks two important events for the Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya. The society will be honored by the United Nations with an award for its outstanding humanitarian work following the Tsunami of last December. The day will also see the launch of “Waves of Compassion: Sarvodaya’s Tsunami to Deshodaya Plan After Six Months of Action,” a comprehensive report on the recovery work that was completed by the organization in the first six months after the tidal wave.

In a ceremony to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia to mark World Habitat Day, Sarvodaya will be presented with the Habitat Scroll of Honor award, a prize that is granted annually by the United Nations Human Settlement Program for outstanding work in the field of settlement and shelter.

Sarvodaya has been honored by the United Nations for its outstanding humanitarian work after the catastrophic Tsunami of last December. The organization has been presented the 2005 Habitat Scroll of Honor award, a prize that is granted annually by the United Nations Human Settlement Program for outstanding work in the field of settlement and shelter. Sarvodaya is among 8 awardees this year.

Click here to view UN Press Release on 2005 Habitat Scroll of Honor Award

In an electronic letter dated September 7th, Francisco Vasquez, the World Habitat Day Coordinator of the program, informed Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, the Executive Director of Sarvodaya, of the honor. Vasquez wrote that Sarvodaya was awarded the Habitat prize because of “the way its well established network was able to intervene effectively when the country was hit by last year’s devastating Tsunami. Within hours, the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement opened a national operations centre that provided half a million dollars worth of humanitarian aid in the first three months.” He went on to commend the organization for its work in towns and villages across Sri Lanka for almost fifty years to promote peace, adequate water and sanitation, a clean environment, and basic health, education, energy, communication, and housing for everyone. Even as the organization continues with this work, it has also made a large commitment towards the Tsunami recovery effort with an intensive, drawn-out plan, which encompasses not only building new homes and providing material comforts to those who lost theirs to the tidal wave, but also organizing programs to alleviate the mental trauma suffered by them.

We were making our first trip to Sri Lanka in 3 and 6 years, respectively, to see our friends at Sarvodaya and to find a tsunami impacted village that needed a preschool– the heart of the Sarvodaya village development process…

Sir Arthur C Clarke has presented to Sarvodaya – Sri Lanka’s largest development charity – donations collected from British readers to support post-tsunami recovery efforts in his adopted country…

The partners and employees of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Germany, having heard of the catastrophe of the tsunami of December 2004 and the terrible consequences that followed were spontaneous with a wish to help those affected. They launched a “People Who Care”…

I joined Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka a few days ago as a professional volunteer consultant for six months and yesterday was my first experience in the field, witnessing first hand Sarvodaya’s village movement and programme of post-Tsunami rebuilding and rehabilitation…