2018 Sep 17
It’s been a little over 9 years since Sri Lanka’s nearly 30 year long civil war ended on the 18th of May, 2009. Yet, its ripple effects can still be seen today. In a remarkable effort to strengthen peace reconciliation in Sri Lanka through the art of storytelling, Sarah Kabir is on the cusp of launching Voices of Peace, a book unlike any other.
Aimed at supporting peace reconciliation, Voices of Peace shares experiences on both ends of the war; of ten former LTTE cadres and ten Sri Lankan military personnel, all of whom actively fought on the front lines.
Speaking with Pulse, Sarah Kabir emphasized on the importance of listening to stories, rather than simply talking about them. Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict was a long, brutal, and bloody one. For our little nation, reconciliation is key – a long journey that requires immense support from anyone and everyone. Providing a unique insight into the reality of our war-ridden days, Voices of Peace hopes to encourage and spark meaningful conversation, along with demonstrating to the public that sometimes, listening is enough.
Voices of Peace will be launched on Wednesday, the 26th of September, with guest speakers Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Ms. Aaranya Rajasingam, and Saliya Pieris P.C., moderated by Dr. Jehan Perera.
As beautifully stated by one of the storytellers featured in Voices of Peace, “Listen to these stories. Become close to them. Only then will the affected people share their true stories with confidence”.
