NPC organized a Civil Society Forum in Colombo that was attended representatives of 112 NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The forum was the first meeting of the Civil Society Platform that was founded by NPC in collaboration with other organizations.
Among the topics discussed were civil society and global trends, women's role in civil society, issues faced by the hill country plantation population and the media's role and the civil society organizations.
NPC’s Executive Director Dr Jehan Perera spoke about the obstacles on the path to reconciliation, while Mr Brito Fernando outlined the challenges faced by civil society and how to overcome them. Ms F. Sharika addressed the current issues facing the Muslim community.
Participants then discussed their concerns with the panel. They spoke about certain civil organizations that promoted extremist religious ideas and how this was a threat to the image of civil society in general, especially when they were already being criticized by politicians fulfilling their own political agendas.
After the panel discussion, the way forward was discussed. A representative was chosen from each district to form the executive committee. The forum hopes to develop a common mandate that all CSOs could follow in order to strengthen their role in the country's peace and reconciliation process.