At just twenty-seven, Prashan De Visser, founder of Sri Lanka Unites (SLU), is one of the few youngsters who’ve decided that talking about reconciliation is not enough and so began Sri Lanka Unites (SLU) is an organisation that has been up and running since 2009. It plays an active role in promoting reconciliation by engaging in projects which range from relief efforts in remote villages, to conferences and school workshops all over the island.
We had the opportunity to pick Prashan’s brain. Here are a few morsels for you to savour:
What role did your parents play in your becoming who you are today? “A huge role. My parents don’t believe in being bystanders. Both my parents are
involved in counselling, helping orphans and providing care to those in need.”
Referring to life with his parents, Prashan says they exposed him to a wide variety of people - “I got to interact with people from all walks of life.
My parents taught me how to be comfortable with myself. This helps me see who people are and value them for their true character”, which is a huge asset to a person in the business of bringing reconciliation to a broken nation.
Have you received any specific training or education in your field?
“Yes. While studying in the United States I interned – in the Summer of 2006 – at the Senate Republican Conference in Washington DC. This is where I got to see, firsthand, the role that politicians play, how they influence society, and more importantly how society influences them.”
It is at this Conference that Prashan “discovered the power of grassroots movements” – where civil society can take up a cause, lobby, and become role models even to people in high places who have the power to make necessary changes. “It is this concept that won me over.”
“I wrote my senior year thesis on ‘Reconciliation in a World of Conflict’ – for which I closely examined situations in Rwanda, Northern Ireland and South Africa, finding many parallels with Sri Lanka.” There is indeed much we can learn from the mistakes of the past, even if such mistakes are not our own.
Why have you chosen to focus on the youth? Why not another group in society?
“I think any effort towards sustained reconciliation has to focus on the youth. It’s all about replacing past or current values, transforming them into those which are higher and more enlightened”
“We as a people need to understand that it’s not just about ‘me’. In every great society there was a generation that sacrificed for the sake of future generations. We – the youth of this nation – can be that generation.” “Personally, I want more than a luxurious 80 years of life on earth. I want to make a difference that goes beyond myself.”
What does reconciliation mean to you?
“In my mind reconciliation is a process. To paraphrase James Gibson, reconciliation means a decrease of racial or ethnic animosities, leading to more interaction and more communication, which in turn leads to greater understanding, acceptance, appreciation and exaltation of the value of diversity.”
What, in your view, is the greatest impediment to reconciliation in Sri Lanka?
“Pessimism! And the tendency not to take action. A sort of a ‘let’s-wait-and-see’ attitude.”
This, to Prashan, is counter-productive. “We tend to take pride in watching while things get out of hand and then say ‘I told you so’.”
Teamwork is what is needed – this is a country full of stars – you find Sri Lankans at the top of international businesses, doing well – but what we lack is a team spirit and an identity that celebrates our diversity.”
Is it more important to have a dream or to be practical?
“I consider myself a dreamer – so yes, it is important to have a dream. But in order to make that dream into a reality, one has to be creative.” For Prashan it is not enough to have a dream. One must back one’s dream up with passion, skill and knowledge. “The combination is powerful. If you have a dream and you want to see it realised, refine all these three aspects.”
If you could give the impressionable reader one bit of advice, in closing, what would it be?
“I would say we are all destined for greatness. But this greatness can only be achieved if we realise we need to live for more than just ourselves.” In terms of seeing a reconciled Sri Lanka come into being he says “It is an amazing thing to find so many different kinds of people, from so many walks of life, living together on one small island. We can use our smallness to make big things happen. We could be a role model if we realised our potential.”
If you would like to learn more go to www.srilankaunites.org. |
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