Embassy of Sri Lanka Paris
Posted on June 18th, 2012
PRESS RELEASE-ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS)
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-TAGORE AND SRI LANKAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚: A JOINT SEMINAR BY THE INDIAN CULTURAL CENTRE, CENTRE FOR INDIAN STUDIES ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” UNIVESITY OF COLOMBO, AND LAKSHMAN KADIRGAMAR INSTITUTE
18th June, 2012, Colombo:
An inspirational one-day joint seminar on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tagore and Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore (1861 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 1941) was organized by the Indian Cultural Centre, Centre for Contemporary Indian Studies ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” University of Colombo, and the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies on 12th June, 2012. The seminar was triumphant and memorable not only in terms of its stirring addresses delivered by eminent Indian and Sri Lankan scholars as well as by Hon. Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama and H.E. Ashok Kantha, High Commissioner of India to a bursting audience with many distinguished guests, but also because the seminar was successful in creating among the participants palpable feelings of nostalgia and the universal connectedness and love dreamt by Tagore for humanity. Participants of the seminar were roused by the poetry, literature, music, dance, art, and patriotism of Tagore, elevated by the philosophy and spirituality of Tagore, and filled with a renewed respect for Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s heritage, loved by Tagore. One came to understand the special relationship between Tagore and Sri Lanka as well as gain an impression of the profound heart and open mind of Tagore – the philosopher, the creative artist, the educationalist, the humanist, the patriot – as progressed by time and spirit. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The distinguished speakers of the academic sessions of the seminar included: Prof. Bharati Ray (Keynote Address: “Through the Prism of Travel: Rabindranath Tagore’s InternationalismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Prof. K.N.O. Dharmadasa (“Tagore’s Translations in Sinhala and Their ImpactƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Prof. Vini Vitharana (“Reminiscing within Narrow Domestic WallsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Prof. Wimal Dissanayake (“The Poetic Humanism of Rabindranath TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Dr. Sandagomi Coperahewa (“TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Visits to Sri Lanka: RevisitedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Prof. Radha Chakravarty (ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Linking Cultures: Tagore’s Travels to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Prof. Tissa Kariyawasam (“Rabindranath Tagore: A Visionary Visits Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Dr. Sushobhan Adhikary (ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Influence of Kandyan Dance on Tagore Dance-dramaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), Mr. Ravibandhu Vidayapathi (“Tagorean Dance Drama and its Influence on Sri Lankan Dance TheatreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), and Mr. Chandraguptha Thenuwara (ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tagore’s Influence on Sri Lankan Visual ArtsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚).
H. E. Ashok Kantha the High Commissioner of India introduced Rabindranath Tagore as he is known: a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-multifaceted geniusƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-quintessential renaissance manƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, and a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dissenter among dissentersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Mr. Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Executive Director of the Kadirgamar Institute stated that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-as Sri Lanka works to build a harmonious society through reconciliation in post-war Sri Lanka, this seminar on Gurudev Tagore will certainly bring back great thoughts and values needed to build a peaceful societyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. H.E. the High Commissioner of India also spoke of TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s earnest mission to restore the kindred relationship shared between India and Sri Lanka in ancient times. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-No estrangement is possible between India and Sri Lanka due to history and geographyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, Hon. Minister Dr. Amunugama said. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As such, India and Sri Lanka will remain forever more, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-inseparable friendsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ During one of TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s visits to Sri Lanka, Tagore said addressing a gathering in Colombo: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Although the political constitution of modern Ceylon separates this country from India, it is no secret that its history, religion, language, morals, culture and everything else are closely linked to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦Although the spiritual bond between the two countries that was there in the past has collapsed, time has come to put that together again and strengthen it.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Prof. Radha Chakravarty added that, TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s affirmation of the civilizational links between Sri Lanka and India was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-his vision of a harmonious world beyond the territorial boundaries of the modern nation-stateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. For Tagore, it was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-BharatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, instead of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Tagore hoped to revive India-Sri Lanka ties by the awakening of a Sri Lankan nationalist spirit. Tagore was a patriot and an anti-imperialist because he was opposed to the aggressive nationalism pursued by Western (colonial) powers. Thus, Tagore was a catalyst in the resurgence of Sri Lankan arts and culture – and pride ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” beginning in the latter years of British colonial rule. Because of TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s initiative, there was for the first time public appreciation for Sri Lankan arts and culture in Sri Lanka. Tagore taught Sri Lanka that independence means not only political freedom, but cultural freedom. In one of his speeches during his 1934 visit, Tagore had stated: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I thought it was my mission to come Ceylon to spread this message of our Oriental culture to those who by some unfortunate external circumstances have forgotten their own past and who are ready to disown their richest inheritanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. It can be noted that Tagore visited Sri Lanka at a time when the English-educated Sri Lankan elite treated the ancient cultures of India and Sri Lanka with contempt. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Of course their contempt was due to the ignorance of their own language and literature and of ancient Indian cultureƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, Dr. Sandagomi Coperahewa said.
TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Love for Sri Lanka
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tagore made three main trips to Sri Lanka in 1922, 1928, and 1934 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the visit in 1934 being the most significant (this was also TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s last overseas visit in his lifetime). It was in 1934 that Tagore inaugurated the Sri Palee College in Horana, Sri Lanka, which was inspired by TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s model of education at the Vishva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, West Bengal which was founded by Tagore, where students learned in open-air classes in a rural setting and art and spirituality played a central role in learning. Tagore believed that education should give freedom – freedom of spirit and mind.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
There were also two other lesser known short visits to Sri Lanka by Tagore as well as a visit in the early 1890s, while Tagore was a student at the University of London ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” revealing TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s emotional attachment to Sri Lanka. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Tagore was in Sri Lanka, he did not only spend time in Colombo, but went to Anuradhapura, Galle, Kandy, and Matara, as well as Jaffna, Panadura, Horana, and other places in Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” such was his interest in Sri Lanka and its people. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tagore does not see this cultural interface as a one-way process, but an eclectic, syncretic approach to influences from cultures outside India -ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ this remains one the most striking features of his oeuvreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, Prof. Radha Chakravarthy said. Sri Lanka offered much to Tagore. For example, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tagore was enthralled by the Kandyan danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, Prof. Bharati Ray said. Tagore wrote a poem on Kandyan dancing and his dance-dramas incorporated Kandyan dance styles and costumes, such as in ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ChandalikaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Mayar KhelaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s first musical play). TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s appreciation of Kandyan dancing helped encourage the revival of this style from formal perahera processions to the mainstream in Sri Lanka.
TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s fascination with Sri Lanka can be attributed to two factors, Dr. Sandagomi Coperahewa said: his awareness of the Sinhalese people and culture having descended from immigrants from the Bengal region in ancient times and due to his profound respect for Theravada Buddhism and the Buddhist heritage of the island.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One recalls TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s song about the Buddha, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Please be born againƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (two lines loosely translated being: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The world today is wild with the delirium of hatred, All creatures are crying for a new birth of thineƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚). Tagore was also aware of Anagarika DharmapalaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s (1864-1933) pioneering Buddhist revival work in India, and the Maha Bodhi journal (1892) started by Dharmapala was patronized by Indian intellectuals such as Tagore who contributed articles and poems to it, and needless to say, Dharmapala hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ great respect for Tagore. While in India, Sri Lankan art critic and historian Ananda Coomaraswamy (1877-1947) also formed close relationships with the Tagore family, and was involved in both the literary renaissance and the Swadeshi movement – an early phase of the struggle for Indian independence.
Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Love for Tagore
TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s legacy in Sri Lankan cultural and intellectual life is unmistakable, Rabindranath Tagore being the key personality in the cultural renaissance of modern Sri Lanka and having exerted the greatest influence on Sri Lankan arts and culture among foreign individuals. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ After TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s travels to Sri Lanka, a vast majority of the Sinhalese intellectuals welcomed TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ideas, and later his literary works began to appear in the Sinhala language. Thus, Tagore influenced not only English-educated Sri Lankans but also the Sinhalese-educated, Prof. K. N. O. Dharmadasa said. Tagore is the foreign author most translated into Sinhala, for example, Gitanjali has been translated no less than seven times into Sinhala in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan leaders in the arts also studied at TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Vishva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, and thus were greatly influenced by Tagore. These individuals include Ananda Samarakoon (who wrote and composed the Sri Lankan national anthem, the tune being heavily influenced by Tagore’s music as Ananda Samarakoon was Rabindranath TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s student), Ediriweera Sarachchandra, W.B. Makuloluwa, Sunil Shantha, Chitrasena, Premakumara Epitawala, Shesha Palihakara, and Soma Vidyapathy. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, it should be noted that although these artists have been undeniably influenced by Tagore in verse, literature, song, dance, or painting, Tagore also inspired these great artistes to retain a characteristic national flavour in their creations (which are distinct from the Tagorean style). Just as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Rabindra SangeethƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ was not purely traditional Begali music, says Prof. Vini Vitharana, Ananda Samarakoon for example, combined many musical traditions into Sri Lankan music including veddah (aboriginal) and Portuguese music, while retaining a Sinhala folk touch, and Sunil Shantha did the same.
Other Sri Lankan greats including P. B. Alwis Perera, Kapila seneviratne, Amaradeva, Mahagama Sekara, and Druvinka Madawala have been deeply influenced by TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s thought or artistic style. It is can be observed that Sri Lankan writers, poets, and artists may have been especially attracted to Tagore for three reasons: his profound nature poetry, unparalleled intellect, and spiritual wisdom, Prof. K. N. O. Dharmadasa said. In an article titled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tagore and CeylonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (1964), Martin Wickremasinghe (1890-1976), the foremost Sinhala writer in modern times said: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦The enduring appeal of Tagore to the intelligentsia of Ceylon is his attitude to religion and life which he expressed artistically in his poetry and with imagination and religious perception in his lectures and essays.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Tagore is Much More
In concluding his address, Prof. Vini Vitharana lamented over TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s influence in Sri Lanka largely being limited to the revival in the arts, not having deeply impacted the philosophical, spiritual, and humanistic thought of the island, in which Tagore, Nobel Prize Laureate, made significant contributions to the world. It seems, Prof. Vini Vitharana said, that Sri Lanka remained confined to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-narrow domestic wallsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ which Tagore warned against in his poem, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Where the Mind is without FearƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, Gitanjali (1913). Prof. Vitharana urged the Sri Lankan nation-builders of today to embrace TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s egalitarian and cosmopolitan concepts found in Gitanjali. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Prof. Wimal Dissanayake said, that although ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Rabindranath Tagore has distinguished himself as a poet, novelist, short story writer, dramatist, artist, musician, educationist and social thinker, running through all his manifold endeavors, is the unmistakable thread of humanismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” humanism defined by concepts such as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”individual freedomƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”the individual as the creator of her/his actionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. He said that although Yeats and Ezra were blown away by Tagore, the West largely has a narrow understanding of Tagore, seeing him mainly as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”mysticƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” when he was in actuality a multifaceted personality and very much also a man of action, being a vocal patriot, an educationalist, a dramatist, and much more. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-poetic humanismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of Tagore, Prof. Dissanayake divided into the six elements of: (1) literature and the arts, (2) patriotism (advocating of traditional/ cultural model), (3) education (the arts and spirituality occupying a central role in TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s system of education), (4) modernity (breaking away from socially and spiritually constricting elements), (5) cosmopolitanism (ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-cosmopolitanism with a national faceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚), and (6) (philosophy of) freedom (as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-humility arises from freedomƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚).
Prof. Dissanayake explained that for Tagore the individual was always connected to society, and never isolated from it. TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s concept of language (and literature) also differs from the (Western postmodern) notion that it is instrumental in nature (manipulating human understanding): for Tagore, language was a part of humanity, it constituted humanity. For example, Tagore narrated the Upanishads and also Buddhist concepts in his (nature) poetry, which reflects a complicated relationship of the poet to the world, the cosmos, and the universe.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prof. Dissanayake believes that even the Bengali scholars have not fully explored Gitanjali, and thus that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Gitanjali remains to be rediscoveredƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
Although an anti-imperialist and (thereby having been made) a patriot, Rabindranath Tagore was a true cosmopolitan, having travelled to more than 30 countries in his lifetime ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” at a time when travel was an arduous and time-consuming affair. He seeked to understand other cultures through personal experience, in order to gain a true perception of them. During his travels, Tagore explained his ideal of Vishva-Bharati and raised funds for its development, and continued with his dream of establishing contacts between different cultures and people. He believed in a Cultural Federation of the World for the future with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-international cultural developmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, where one culture does not try to dominate another but each is enriched by contact with others. Tagore has said: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The day has come for cooperation, the day of nationalistic cultures is gone…ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s work also plainly displays his universalism, his influence being many including: Rumi of Persia, the Buddha, Bengali culture, Kabir, Baul, Nietzsche of Germany, Islam, Christianity, Vaisnavism, and many more (including his father, Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, which was a new religious sect in 19th century Bengal, which attempted a revival of the ultimate monistic basis of Hinduism as laid down in the Upanishads ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” who also made a visit to Sri Lanka before Rabindranath). Thus, needless to say, the world, and especially Sri Lanka, is deeply indebted to the Gurudev on several counts.
The seminar concluded with a musical rendition of Rabindra Sangeet with soulful and sweet vocals by Shantiniketan Alumnus Mr. Chamith Perera, which included one of TagoreƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s greatest compositions (which was also the favourite song of Mahatma Gandhi ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” his devoted friend), ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Ekla Chalo ReƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Walk AloneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦If nobody responds to your call, alone you must go along your wayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚) – an example of how human literary and artistic endeavour may communicate Truth.
The Kadirgamar Institute functions as a forum for the generation of research and analysis, with a view to providing an input to national policy formulation, while acting as a bridge that connects scholars and experts with statesmen, public officials and the Sri Lankan community.
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