Featured in "The Nations" Weekend Paper - July 15, 2012 Issue

Click Here to get the Online Version - Page 13 - The Nations

Click Here to get the Online Version - Page 14 - The Nations

Mobilizing 150 Youngsters - "Recycling + Teenage"

A workshop on "Recycling + Teenage" was held at Samudradevi Balika Vidyalaya on the  12th of July 2012 in colloboration with Neptune Recyclers. About 150 students, elected as environmental pioneers participated in the event conducted by Mr. Sikandar Sabeer, an employee of Neptune Recyclers.

The workshop raised a lot of interest among the students and as a result student initiated a "Recycling day" at the school. "Recycling Day" is a unique fundraising project where students/youth led organization can earn sufficient amount of money from there waste. This money is used to initiate community based projects by the students. As a result of “Recycling Day” the students of Samudradevi Vidyalaya were able to collect more than hundred kilograms of waste papers and they are intended to replicate this project every month.

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University Ramp.....

Click Here to Get the Online Article in Ceylon Today 07-15-12

By Sikander Sabeer

Undoubtedly we can categorize a number of Sri Lankan universities as few of the worlds’ best universities. One of my colleague expressed "We are the undergraduate of state universities and we are proud to be so." Yes, indeed we should be proud if we are studying in our own local universities. We know the actual value lies in the free education and high quality standards.

It's not a joke to be selected to a high profile University such as University of Colombo and Jayawardanapura—The hub of smart business leaders, University of Moratuwa—Hub of genius engineers and University of Peradeniya—The hub of biologists.
In general, the number of total students who sit for the A/L exam is around 200,000. Among them nearly 20,000 students are selected for the state universities. That means, only 10% of students from those who sit for A/Ls are selected. The percentage of those who go to universities from the students who enter for school education is only 2%. This highly competitive structure selects the genius amongst best students from all around Sri Lanka.
"Most of us are from outstation schools and we know that if there was no free education, we will never get an opportunity to be called as ‘graduates’. Being selected to a university was a dream come true for all of us and our families. All of us believed that being selected to a State University is the ultimate achievement in our educational career. In fact, university was a world of knowledge, world of new people, a world of experience and a world of new opportunities for us," added another colleague emotionally.

Thoughts of a student

I met a bunch of final year students who have spent almost three and half years, with loads of hopes and dreams, expecting to pass out by this September, which will indeed shape up their future as they want. "Our seniors and some of our lecturers are being very informative about what we can do and what we have to do after successfully completing our bachelor degrees. Even though it is a world of opportunities outside, there are yet constant strikes in State Universities that have wiped out our hopes of our future."

As we know, strikes in universities is a common issue, this has been addressed at the highest status in our country. Whatever the reason that lies underneath, may be an ongoing political strike process that have obviously extended the period of time of degrees, and so it has cut down the right to education continuously.

"By postponing our mid and final year exams with no due dates, is crucial for final year students. We would miss all the opportunities we have to apply for post graduate studies, foreign scholarships and also to face certain competitive exams by the government. We have to waste one more year of our lives to apply for the same opportunity. Also, for some valuable scholarships, we can only apply after completing our degrees, but not with pending results."

Foreign universities

Most of them are above 24 years, if we look at a foreign university, students of the same age may have finished their Masters or Phd's. The first main problem is the ‘the time gap’ between facing A/L exams, waiting for the results, and the time taken to get the entry pass to the university, approximately spending a year of time of their valuable youth life. Simply, this one year is sufficient to finish at least two diplomas or a Masters degree in a private sector, the second main problem is, spending more time to complete a degree, because of all these strikes.

"Concentrating on the academic strikes going on, as students we don’t believe it is ethical. No one can ever justify holding a strike while discussions are going on. Also, no one can justify holding a massive strike after four working days of another massive strike by non-academics. Above all, it is completely unethical to hold this type of a strike after the government’s decision to increase salaries for lecturers, which was a primary demand of Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA).

Now FUTA says, this salary increment has caused discrimination among lectures. FUTA has just demanded for a 20% increment for all. But, the government has provided 74% for senior professors, 58% for senior lecturers, 36% for probationary lecturers.

As students we are really happy to hear this increment. Also, we would appreciate if the government can allocate 6% of the GDP for education. But all these demanding should be done, in a form that students will not be kept in dark. Honestly, there are some lecturers who truly want to teach us, because they really care for the students, but they are also forced not to. It is clear that there are some key personals behind this strike.

Because of them, this strike has politically motivated and paid by the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), to destabilize the entire state university system. While making chaos for free education by them, it is hilarious to see one of FUTA’s demands as to have a ‘clear government policy on free education’. As students, we also want to see an improvement in the university system. In fact, if the quality of the entire system can be improved, both academic and non academic staff would serve students in a better way.

The ultimate duty

Of course, the ultimate service and duty of the staff of a university is to serve the students. But because of these unethical strikes, FUTA breaks this primary duty. As we understand, this is an attempt to hold an ‘Arab spring’ in state universities since all these are intentionally conducted strikes. Continuous strikes destabilize state university system, and to make a bad impression about universities. Universities had being the liberal body in this country, but now that liberalism is challenged.

The students kindly request all the lecturers for the sake of the free education, please be kind and brave enough to do their duty, without being a shield for anyone. "We assure you would be able to win your rights, in the day you complete your duties and responsibilities," concluded a student.

World throughout the Lenses

Click here to check the online link - Ceylon Today

By Sikander Sabeer

Rotaract Shutterbug: ‘A Story with Every Click’ is an award winning initiative by the Rotaract Club of Panadura, supported by a coalition of partners who are recognized by international and local organizations in the country. This initiative is a provision of an innovative platform for amateur photographers and photography enthusiasts to explore themselves through a combination of segments which ran from July to December 2011.

The Shutterbug has now advanced to the international sphere and its phase I is conducted as a photo blog. It is a provision of a platform for Rotaractors and friends of Rotaract in Canada, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom, who are amateur photographers or photography enthusiasts to share images to promote cultural understanding and exchange. This is a joint initiative between the Rotaract Club of Rotaract Club of Burnaby – Vancouver, Canada; Rotaract club of Panadura – Sri Lanka and the Rotaract Club of York – United Kingdom.



This phase provides an opportunity to all to get exposed to a diverse experience of each other’s culture through this photo blog with the support of the online platforms and interactive options via facebook and twitter. The photo blog www.rotaractshutterbuginternational.wordpress.com was featured pictures depicting the cultural, social and environmental aspects of the Canada, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom under various themes.

This unique platform provided an opportunity to understand and learn about the three countries and possible exhibitions with the pictures as cultural exchange. The initial phase of the blog ran continuously for 21 days from 14 May 2012 and pictures for this initiative are obtained through club members of the three respective clubs and interested parties of the club which were then shortlisted and selected by the project team of each club. The blog is now being continued to make the initiative sustainable and meaningful.







Picture by: Rafael Ferrarezi, Rotaract Club of Burnaby visitor (Originally from Sao Paolo's Taquaritinga Rotaract) Canada Place is one of the more beautiful places in Vancouver. There you can spend many hours seeing the landscape. There is a brand new convention centre built here in 2009 and it hosts many events every month bringing international and local visitors in for a look at its state of the art building using green technology.

'Rotaract Shutterbug' project initiative was recognized by the Rotary District 3220 as the 'Outstanding Rotaract Project' for the Rotary year 2011-12. It was also recognized at the 22nd Rotaract District Assembly as the Most Outstanding project under the avenue of ‘Professional Development’.

From capturing motions through the hawk eye lenses to stunning still pictures, the Rotactors from Panadura club brought smiles in to people fighting cancer through their ‘Cancer Project’. Regardless of the cultural, social or ideological background the devastating effects of the menace of cancer can be a death sentence to any who does not have the right kind of support. Cancer is no longer a distant, empty threat, its effects are at your doorstep and people fighting cancer reside in the community around you and I. Cancer affects not only the physical but also ones psychological and emotional state. All what the community can provide for people fighting cancer is the quality of life they deserve and the protection and security they require.

The Rotaract Club of Panadura is a team dedicated to making the public aware that Cancer can be prevented and even cured with early detection and treatment. Therefore unlike traditional support provided by the community, their efforts promote patients to address their problems as a family within their own community. The support provided to these families cover their need for nutritious food, nursing and their immediate medical attention.

For the above purpose we created our project simply called, ‘The Cancer Project’. In September 2011 the Rotaract Club of Panadura completed its Phase I - ‘Hope’ to support people fighting cancer at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital. After seven months of preparation, in April 2012 the Rotaract Club of Panadura has launched its Phase II - ‘Care’ to strengthen the lives of people fighting cancer.

With phase II ‘Care’ the Rotaract Club of Panadura is supporting 100 people living with cancer around the country from April-June 2012. For this purpose we have raised Rs. 3.2 million through our networks, family and friends. The project will continue as a ‘buddy system’ in the months to come to empower lives of our brothers and sisters living strong with cancer. The project team successfully launched Phase III in this July to continue their journey to battle with ‘Killing Cells—Cancer”

Rotaract club of Panadura Founded in September 2008 and chartered in March 2009, the Rotaract Club of Panadura (of District 3220) sponsored by the Rotary Club of Panadura, works under the theme ‘Yeomen Service Towards Humanity’. We are a collective of young adults voluntarily working towards positive change in the society.

Since its inception, the Rotaract Club of Panadura has done many projects and has provided a platform for the enthusiastic youth in Panadura to approach the National level of activism, provided with networking opportunities and opportunities to sharpen their professional skills. Large projects of the club has completed successfully varies from Professional Development project such as ‘Rotaract Shutterbug’ to Community Service Projects such as ‘The Cancer Project’. The club award able to earn a number of outstanding awards from the 22nd Rotaract District Assembly took place on 30 June at Taj Samudra, Colombo.

Teen Inc wish the Rotaract Club of Panadura all the very best for their future endeavours.

Colombo+20 - Future We Want

Click to read this article on E- Paper - Ceylon Today

 By Sikander Sabeer -07-07-2012 Sunday Issue

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was undoubtedly a major turning point in the history of international negotiations and is thus for young people an opportunity to seize in order to play a role in future negotiations. Rio +20 was an opportunity to assess twenty years of sustainable development building, and also an opportunity to glimpse a green development for years to come.This conference came at a time the world is witnessing an alarming climate and at a point where the world calendar tells us that we are approaching the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (2015). The struggle for the implementation of sustainable development at local and regional levels by the international community has paved the way for the development of the countries in global south, as highlighted in the Kyoto protocol. Hence, there is a growing need to increase participation and involvement of the youths in sustainable development negotiations and implementation. One of the most effective ways of achieving this objective is by including youth agenda in the developmental plans of countries and ensuring their efficient participation in decision-making processes while getting them involved in negotiations concerning sustainable development at regional and international forums, Although, all around the world youth are not happy with the outcome document of the Rio+20 which was titled as ‘The Future We Want’.

“Considering the inter-generational and intra-generational solidarity principle propounded by the sustainable development process, Sri Lanka youth also need to be part of the decision making process; furthermore their voices should be heard. Given that youth can ‘Be the change’, they are the ones to implement any decision taken at any summit given that they are the future leaders of the nations. They then have to recognize themselves into the outcomes of these summits. Opportunities such as RIO+20 can come once in a life time; and decisions that will be taken there will determine the future of the planet,” said the Chairman of the National Youth Services Council Sri Lanka, Lalith Piyum Perera.

Non-other than youth stress the urgency into finding smart solutions to address sustainable development. Rio+20 were an opportunity to think globally, but we have to first act locally to implement what the member states have committed in this historic summit.

‘Colombo + 20: The Future We Want’, is an advocacy campaign that will reflect this year's conference’s theme ‘The Future We Want’, in a Sri Lankan context and is organized by three different renowned youth networks, the V-Force (National Voluntary Taskforce), Youth for a Greener Sri Lanka (YGSL) and the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), bringing in youth from every corner of Sri Lanka. This initiative is further supported and endorsed by several UN agencies, including the United Nations Volunteers. This event emphasize the importance of the Rio+20 (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development) Conference and its outcomes towards sustainable development in Sri Lanka.

One of the main events of this collaborative effort of all school children, university students, and the general public was held at the Independence Square on 1 July, from 3:00 pm onwards. The occasion was graced by several well-known persons such as the Western Province Environmental Minister UdayaGammanpila, cricket idol Chamara Kapugedera and Chairman of National Youth Service Council (NYSC).The public were sensitized on various issues brought up at the stalls, and in addition to this, flash mobs from ISAAC, together with several talented dancers from NYSC provided entertainment and glamourto the evening. There were also several activities for the youth including the amazing race which hadseveral tests to answer on sustainable development, and made exciting through hidden clues and riddles.

Together, all these events contributed towards the event being an informative and fun filled one for the general public- adults and kids alike. However, the highlight of the Colombo+20 event were the two buses being painted in collaboration with the Academy of Design. It portrayed the ideas for the future we want through the use of tri-lingual typographic messages on the future we want. Keep an eye out for these buses on routes 155 and 138 on your daily journey to school or work. This occasion was used to sensitize the public through the various activities and volunteers engaging them in conversations on actions that we, as citizens could undertake to shape the future we want. This was our call out to the society to join us and take a stand united as a force for ‘The Future We Want”. Come out and we together can be part of the change you want to see in our country. This change does not merely end at the end of Rio+20 conferences but carries on into the future. It is our turn to reduce our carbon footprint through simple means such as planting trees, switching off lights or even using the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy. Even the smallest of things can change the bigger picture.

“With the rich biodiversity, high natural resource base including the large exclusive economic zone more than five times of the land area, potential renewable energy sources such as hydro, biomass, wind, solar, wave energy and so on, and relatively high level of trained human capital including more than 20% of the population comprising of youth, Sri Lanka has the ideal enabling environment to aim at a sustainable future. Sri Lanka youth including the ‘Youth for Greener Sri Lanka’ can play a catalytic role in sensitizing public on the potential, needs and benefits in sustainability and resilience, opportunity and advantage of green growth and green jobs.” Team Leader, Ananda Mallawatantri (Environment, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction), UNDP Sri Lanka.

Empowering Youth For Sustainability.

The British Council Kandy in partnership with Keells Super & Neptune recycling celebrated World Environment Day 2012 on 7 June with an interactive presentation and workshop for Kandy’s future ‘green’ generation. The day began with a session on environmental education to understand the evolution of earth, environmental problems and climate change -why it’s happening, the impact we are causing and ways of reducing these problems with proposed actions. The event attracted 50 participants from eight different schools around Kandy. It was facilitated by Sikander Sabeer, who is an employee at Neptune recycling and a British Council Global Changemaker. Neptune recyclers are pioneer recycling agents who provide recycling solutions for cooperates and industries. And they work very closely with school students.

The lecture covered the recycling of waste materials, the need to reduce the use of plastic bags, garbage disposal, pollution, deforestation and the role of youth in creating a greener world. A presentation from Keels Super was screened to educate the participants about the corporations’ commitment to the principles of sustainable development and about its role as a socially and ethically responsible organisation, focusing on the Keels’ plastic recycling project.

The participants worked in teams to come up with ideas to combat environmental problems, while using their creativity with the use of materials which otherwise could be treated as waste.  Each group, comprising of participants from different schools, was given the opportunity to present their ideas both in English and Sinhala. This further improved their presentation and public speaking skills. The participants were also given the opportunity to link up with a representative of the Emerging Young Leaders’ Association (EYLA).

All participants were presented with a badge and a bio-degradable red bag from Keells Super.

The day ended with laughter, a lot of happy faces and inspired thoughts. One of the motivated young participants said ‘‘actually it was a fabulous event which gave us a tremendous experience with loads of knowledge’. Hopefully these young environmental torchbearers will gain from the inspiration gained through their participation and will contribute towards making the world a better place for their generation and beyond.

My Journey to United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development/Rio+20

At the Historic United Nations Conference on Sustainable 

Development/Rio+20, June 2012