Sikander Sabeer: Journey to Hortan Plains/Worlds End......

Friday, May 11, 2012

Journey to Hortan Plains/Worlds End......

Few of my friends packed bag- pack to hike worlds end on 5th Saturday 2012. HPNP is designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO which forms one part of the central highlands of Sri Lanka (The other two world heritage sites are Knuckles range and the peak wilderness). Horton Plains is the highest plateau in Sri Lanka. Its elevation ranges between 1800m to 2300m and encompasses 3162 hectares of land. Sri Lanka’s 2^nd and 3^rd highest peaks Kirigalpoththa and Thotupola Kanda respectively are located in this region. This wonderful landscape has become one of the world best nature reserves and eco-tourism venues. It has a unique and beautiful landscape of rolling hills covered with upper montane forest and wet patana grassland in a mosaic manner. A narrow transition zone or ectone of shrubs and herbs are clearly seen between the montane forest and the grassland. Filigree Baker’s Falls, Hazy worlds end and wavy mountains adds an aesthetic value to this wonder land.

Horton Plains is a home for diverse animals and plants. Many of which are endemic to Sri Lanka. In-terms of biodiversity it is well known as Ultra hot spots. Greater Structural Complexity of the cloud forming forest provides wider range of micro habitat for micro to macro creatures. Wet Climatic condition provide excellent habitat for amphibians. Almost all of them are endemic to Sri Lanka. Ex- Rana temporalis(frog species), Philautus alto (frog species). Common Roughside is a non-poisonous endemic snake, rhino-Horned lizard and black cheeked lizards are some of the reptiles found in this zone. Different types of birds species are found and most of them are endemic to Sri Lanka. Ex- Sri Lanka white eye, Sri Lanka yellow eared bulbul etc. We were lucky enough to locate the Sri Lanka whistling thrush, (Common Name- Arenga) it is a shy bird and active during the hazy early mornings. Horton plain is the paradise for one of the world’s most endangered endemic primate red slender loris (Loris tardigradus). Purple faced leaf monkey, Sambar and fishing cat are some of the mammals found commonly.

I can remember Weeramanthry International Centre for Peace Education and Research (WICPER), which is one of the eminent organizations founded by Judge Weeramantry the former Vice-President of International Court of Justice, towards peace and sustainability organized a program under the theme of “Understanding the duties towards our common heritage” is the latest workshop conducted by WICPER throughout the partner organizations namely Department of Wildlife Conservation and Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO held on 28^th April to 01^st of May 2011 at Horton Plains National Park (HPNP) along with TFT volunteers/alumni representing different geographical location of the country.

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About Me

Sikander Sabeer is a product of Isipathana College and holding a first class with distinction Bachelors of Science (BSc) degree on Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Microbiology from Spectrum Institute of Science and Technology (Sri Lanka), an outreach campus of University of Mysore (India). Presently reading for his Masters of Science (MSc) on Business Management at National School of Business Management (Sri Lanka), an outreach post-graduate institute of University of Dublin (Ireland).

Sikanders’ development work can be categorized into three avenues, namely community service and community development; youth empowerment and professional development; climate change and sustainable development. Meanwhile his development work is two phased, firstly action oriented, secondly strategic and advocacy. In the action oriented phase, he gets in to the field and implements his ideas. He works very closely with multi-stakeholders such as children, school students, youth, corporates & business firms, UN agencies, non-governmental and government organizations on diversified projects at different levels and on different capacities. With his strong grass-root level initiatives and experience, he invests equal time on advocacy, mentorship and youth policy framework, which is a unique, and a strategic bottom up approach.

Sikanders’ voluntary action oriented initiatives and his strategic thinking has given him numerous opportunities to be a guest speaker and youth facilitator; to share his experiences, best practices to motivate and inspire youth at number of National and International youth conferences. He has represented his country and fellow youth (1/4th of Sri Lankan population) at high profile youth conferences and high level UN summits/conferences, at some of the UN meetings I have served as an ‘Official Youth Delegate’ of the National Delegation team headed by HE president. Half of the world’s population is made up of young people and as a youth representative and a major stakeholder he had made several interventions on behalf of Global Youth and Sri Lankan youth at some of the UN conferences.

He has held several key positions in organizing several national and international events/programmes and he is one of the co-creators of the YOUTH is the word –Guinness World Record, where 1500 Sri Lankan youth stood to gather to form the largest human mosaic in the world.

His local, national and international initiatives on youth led community development, Climate Change; youth empowerment and youth advocacy led him to earn the most prestigious “Commonwealth Youth Awards (CYA)” for Excellence in Development Work (2012), The CYA’s celebrate and recognize extraordinary young people among one billion audiences from 54 member states of Commonwealth who are making a positive difference to the lives of others through development initiatives ranging from poverty alleviation to education and protection of the environment. This is awarded by Commonwealth Secretariat (CYP) headed by HM Queen Elizabeth II. He earned the "Global Changemaker" title of British Council Youth Empowerment Programme on 2010 for outstanding contribution for Voluntary Activities. He serves as a Youth Ambassadorial role for climate change and serves as a Youth Facilitator for climate sustainability under British Council International Climate Champion program. Apart from these major recognitions his team earned U.S. Department of States Federal Assistant Award Grant for “Green the Home” project and Global Changemakers Community Action Project (CAP) and Regional Action Project (RAP) grants for Youth Empowerment Initiatives.

Presently Sikander is serving as an Assistant Manager for Business Development and Project Officer for recycling solutions for Neptune Recyclers (Neptune Papers [Pvt.] Ltd) in Sri Lanka, a member of multinational corporate Expolanka Holdings PLC. He works very closely with multi- stakeholders, especially with school students, Industries and Corporates on recycling solutions which create an additional income from the trash while minimizing the environmental pollution.

"Do as much as voluntary activities, because volunteers Inspire in Action, they make a real change in their community, they talk less and work a lot, but never expect any personal benefits from their action, Indeed one day they will earn the rewards, that’s confirmed; Install this in your mind “I will do the best I can”

-Sikander Sabeer-