Story

When Anojitha Sivaskaran attended university in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, she realised that her fellow students were unaware of what had happened in the Northern Province during the war. As she described her experiences of displacement – and the lack of water, food, and health facilities that came with it – one of her friends began to cry. At that moment, Anojitha realised it was necessary ‘for people to understand and empathise with our experiences.’ This interaction inspired her to communicate those messages of reconnection to a broader audience, in hopes of building a mutual understanding and eventually learning to work together. Anojitha became particularly passionate about creating a space for young people to share their perspectives. She said this plays an important part in peacebuilding because young people are often portrayed as perpetrators in past conflicts, and largely in a negative light. She wrote Unknown Pains, a collection of five short stories based on her experiences during the war’s final phase in May 2009. The stories aim to facilitate collective emotional healing and promote dialogue and awareness about peace and unity among divided communities. The collection was published in the Refugee Education Council's anthology Learning from Disrupted Learners, featuring reflections from refugee and displaced youth in English, French, and Spanish.

Anojitha said she believes that peace combines the community and the self, which is reflected in her work towards strengthening social integrity through encouraging engagement. One of the first ways in which she embraced those ideas was when she joined Interfaith Colombo, a youth network connecting different communities that work together to foster dialogue about taboos and opposing perspectives. For instance, in the aftermath of the 2019 Islamist extremist bombings, hate speech and tension between Muslims and the Sinhalese increased. Anojitha then worked to bring representatives of different religions together in activities fostering intergroup conversation. Although she now works with other organisations, Anojitha remains a member of the Interfaith Colombo youth network and still works with young people, whom she views as playing a major role in peacebuilding.

Anojitha said her path has not lacked challenges. She said she developed an inferiority complex because she was not comfortable speaking publicly, initially lacked education, and compared herself to her friends who spoke much better English. She said she also faced scepticism regarding her commitment to peacebuilding. Pressure from her community to follow culture and tradition was difficult to handle as well, and gaining societal and governmental recognition still remains an obstacle. ‘Democracy is the basis for everything, even sustainable peacebuilding,’ Anojitha said – governmental decisions need to include diverse perspectives. In her opinion, the voices of citizens – and especially of young people, women, and other marginalised groups – must always be considered by the government and appropriately reflected in its actions.

When Anojitha received the Diana Award, however, it opened new doors for her and she is receiving more serious regard. This increasing recognition strengthens her motivation to continue working towards peace through collaborating with young people and creating cross-community connections. She said that after engaging in her projects, young people often thank her for helping them understand social groups they used to hold misconceptions about. Anojitha said she cherishes that some participants even found lifelong friends across communities in this way. This sort of feedback motivates her, and she hopes to continue working with young people in education and peacebuilding, be a voice for the voiceless, and have a positive impact on future generations.

Profile

Anojitha Sivaskaran is a Sri Lankan peacebuilder and recipient of the 2021 Diana Award, a prestigious distinction for the humanitarian work of young people. She is currently based in her country’s Northern Province, Jaffna. Originally from the Mullaitivu district, Anojitha was displaced during the war and spent years moving around, including months in an IDP camp. After finally settling in 2021, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. This academic journey helped her realise how much she brings to the table as someone not only with a lived experience of conflict, but also with an ability to speak both of the local languages. 

Anojitha said her mother inspired her, since she granted her the freedom to choose her area of study and explore new directions. This is how Anojitha discovered her own role in the peace process. She works with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) as a project coordinator and with the European Union as a member of the Youth Sounding Board. Her extensive experience includes collaborating with Global Affairs Canada, Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM), the United Nations, the National Peace Council for Sri Lanka, and Interfaith Colombo. Anojitha said that throughout her journey, she continuously stresses the importance of storytelling and youth participation in peacebuilding.