My first impression of the British Council in the 1970s was as a vibrant educational facility with a state-of-the-art Library. As a schoolboy, I was a member of the Library located in Galle Road, Colpetty. We were very eager to go to the Library after school and spend a couple of hours and bring home our favourite English Children’s books by authors such as Enid Blyton and Sir Arthur Conon Doyle. At a time when our school libraries were ill-equipped and there was a dearth of reference books, British Council Library fulfilled this need. Following that association, I developed a great interest and affiliation which has lasted a lifetime.
Notwithstanding the fact that Britain being a colonial power which ruled over Sri Lanka for over a century and with its associated legacy, British Council maintained its position as an independent institution promoting “people-to-people” contact at various levels from students, to academics to professionals and policymakers.
I was overseas for a period of nearly seven years pursuing my medical studies. After qualifying, I had the privilege of receiving a fellowship at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 1993 where I had contacts with the London office of the British Council and paid a courtesy call on the Executive Director.
In the mid to late 1990s when I had actively joined the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka there were contacts on various projects and programmes leading to a close working relationship with the office in Sri Lanka. In the 2000s there were several British Council funded programs focusing on youth and environment, youth and peace-building, scholarships and education-related projects were launched. After the Tsunami there were academic links facilitated by the British Council. “Project Sri Lanka” with Durham University and in which the Sarvodaya Movement was a key partner, was also supported by the British Council. These projects aimed to develop a model to address the humanitarian needs of local populations during the civil conflict and natural disasters.
What is unique is that the British Council remained sensitive to the changing needs of the country and responded in a timely and effective manner within its mandate.
The most recent and impactful collaboration has been the “Next Generation Project” focussing on the youth and the reconciliation needs of Sri Lanka. This national research, with the participation of 2600 youth across all provinces, allows us to understand the youth based on identity, education, employment, peace and the politics and agency. It gives a real insight on youth and the reconciliation for the past decade.
I sincerely believe that the British Council played a pivotal role in promoting cultural and educational ties between Sri Lanka and Britain. What is unique is that the British Council remained sensitive to the changing needs of the country and responded in a timely and effective manner within its mandate.
Notwithstanding the fact that Britain being a colonial power which ruled over Sri Lanka for over a century and with its associated legacy, British Council maintained its position as an independent institution promoting “people-to-people” contact at various levels from students, to academics to professionals and policymakers. The focus on youth through the “Next Gen” is a potentially a groundbreaking initiative that would significantly contribute to peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.