Shanthi Sena

Shanthi Sena or 'Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena Sandasaya' (Peace Brigade)^[1] is a country wide Sri Lankan youth force consisting of over 100,000 youth dedicated to peace building and community development.

The main objective is to develop youth leadership to help encourage a disciplined society free of violence and suffering.

Shanthi Sena is also engaged in changing the prevailing environment of war to that of peace through efforts to promote cooperation between ethnic and religious communities.

Shanthi Sena Movement holds events and gatherings which promote national unity and inter religious cooperation. Amity Camps, Peace Dialogues, district-to-district youth exchange programmes, Peace Education, meditation, Youth Leader Programmes on conflict resolution and Pen Pal programmes are proven and effective means of achieving our objectives.

The long-established team at Shanthi Sena offers years of experience in the field of inter-religious dialogue coupled with a nationwide network of communities in the north, south, east and west. In addition to a full-time Director, there are six permanent members on the staff and 34 District Volunteer Coordinators, supported by the Shanthi Sena Board which is made up of distinguished Sri Lankan university lecturers, lawyers, accountants and counselors.

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Genesis and Mission

"Shanthi Sena" units were inaugurated in 1978 by the Sarvodaya Shramadana President Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne in response to communal disturbances throughout Sri Lanka. An appeal was sent out to the Sarvodaya membership, and communities from all parts of the country to take effective measures to curb violence. There was a ready response. Thus Shanthi Sena, or the Peace Brigade, was born.

When conditions in the country returned to normal, Shanthi Sena Brigades remained. They re-focused their efforts to further the development process by encouraging a spirit of altruism and self-discipline.

Shanthi Sena an Autonomous Independent Unit

Shanthi Sena is a useful program for youths, who are attracted to the broad objectives and service oriented activities. It has attracted nearly 113,629 youths, forming over 9,835 units. Since Shanthi Sena is a People's Peace Organisation, members are trained to use non-violent means in reconciling conflicts. Membership is open to everyone over the age of fifteen. Vision

Shanthi Sena seeks to create an active youth leadership enriched with a social, economic, and political consciousness to work towards the eradication of violence in a non-violent way. Shanthi Sena also hopes to build a society of ethnic and religious harmony, healthy citizens, eco-friendly consciousness, and especially non-violent humanitarian concerns through non-violent means.

Mission

To increase the knowledge and create awareness among the youth in order to empower the community
To empower the youth to achieve social justice through a new political philosophy.
To help meet the physical needs of the youth to ensure their economic stability and ability to pursue spiritual and personal goals.
To make a noticeable positive change in youth behavior that is acceptable to the society.
To improve skills and interpersonal relationships in order to strengthen social harmony.
To enable the youth to appreciate social difference to ensure religious and ethnic harmony. Additionally to create cross-cultural unity and alliance in a changing political environment.
To improve the eco-friendly attitudes to protect the eco-system
To enlist youth participation in the safeguarding of mental, physical and environmental health.

Objectives

To bring forth a generation of morally accomplished youth with intelligence and wisdom, good personality, and leadership qualities.
To work towards a Sri Lankan society endowed with peace, justice and cooperation.
To promote volunteerism and a personal investment in rural development.
To bring about a generation of youth with a political consciousness that can create a new political culture with a critical outlook.
To bring forth a generation of youth with skills to propagate a strong viable national economy.
To launch an educational and service orientated rural health development programme.
To get the youth interested, motivated, and devoted to safeguarding the ecology and environment.
To build a trained and active youth group that can respond spontaneously in times of disasters
To empower the national art culture through creating youth endowed with a sense of high art appreciation.

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[www.shanthisena.org] [www.sarvodaya.org]

References

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