7 Year Journey of Love & Care: Building Bridges and Changing Lives of Youth

In celebration of its 7th year, the Unity Mission Trust recently held an event at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute to unveil a publication that commemorated the unique journey of the organisation committed to foresting unity, reconciliation and healing amongst Sri Lankan youth. This book held stories of youth from across Sri Lanka who had transformed their lives and circumstances with the support and guidance of the organisation. The event was attended by trustees Maj. Gen (Rtd) Lohan Goonewardena – Chairman, Dian Gomes, Rukshan Perera, Ramola Sivasundaram, Nirmali Wickramasinghe, Anushya Coomaraswamy, Reyaz Mihular, Chandra Schaffter and founder – trustees Bertal and Shyamala Pinto – Jayawardena

Unity Mission Trust commenced a unique journey in May 2009 to bring together and unite the Youth of Sri Lanka. The Trust set about achieving this objective initially by conducting 04 day Residential “Unity Camps” for 550 Student Leaders from across Sri Lanka and also through 01 Day “Zoom-In” Programmes for 200-300 Student Leaders across Sri Lanka.

“16 & 17 year olds who first joined us, unsure of what was happening, have now transformed into s a vibrant group of 20 to 24 year aged Young Adults, who are self-assured, confident and with the deeply ingrained belief that they are all equally valuable sons and daughters of ONE Mother Lanka” stated Mr. Bertal Pinto-Jayawardena, Founder Trustee & Co-ordinator of the Trust.

The Trust has now built up an integrated action agenda for the Years 2017 & 2018, commencing with a proposed National Action Plan to foster unity that will be presented to His Excellency the President, as part of the celebration of a 07 year Journey of Love & Care.

More information on the work of the Trust can be obtained at Unity Mission Trust (UMT) on FB and @unitymission on Twitter and from the Web on www.unitymission.lk