The SSA organized an urban exploration tour of Colombo city for the GFDD research fellows on 10th of November 2024.

The first destination of the tour was an important symbol of Sri Lanka’s democracy, the Parliament. During their visit, the political, historical, architectural, and cultural significance of the site was explained to the fellows. They also visited the Independence Memorial Hall located in the Cinnamon Gardens, the Old Parliament building, and Borella Cemetery, which allowed them to explore remnants of Sri Lanka’s colonial history.

The fellows were able to appreciate the religious and cultural diversity of Sri Lanka through  visits to the Sri Ponnambala Vaneswarar Kovil, the  Cathedral of St. Lucia in Kotahena, and St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade.

They were taken to the Wanathamulla neighbourhood, located in the heart of Colombo, where the influence of patronage politics on the subaltern living conditions of the area was explained to them. They also received valuable insight about the Sinhapura housing complex and the predicament of development induced displacement and relocation of families. 

The SSA organized an exposure visit to Kandy on 12th and 13th of December 2024 for the GFDD fellowship cohort.

On the first day, a lecture was conducted on “How to use AI for undergraduate research: challenges, ethical considerations and prospects” by Prof. Erdem Yörük at the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (PGIHS), University of Peradeniya for the third and fourth year undergraduates. Additionally, a meeting was organized between the fellows and a group of junior and senior academics from the University of Peradeniya, where they were able to engage in meaningful discussion about their academic research and possibilities of future collaborations. Thereafter, the fellows explored the university premises.

During their stay, the fellows were able to experience the rich cultural and religious heritage of the region by visiting the Temple of the Tooth. As they returned to Colombo, they had the  opportunity to further immerse themselves in Sri Lankan culture by visiting the Dambulla Rock Temple and exploring its ancient frescoes. 

The SSA organized an exposure visit to the Jaffna peninsula and Mullaitivu from 20th to 22nd of February 2025 for the GFDD research fellowship cohort to provide them with an opportunity to explore the post-war development and reconciliation efforts in the region.

On the first day, a prominent academic based in Jaffna, Dr. Ahilan Kadirgamar engaged in an insightful academic discussion with the fellows about the post-war reconstruction in Jaffna with a special focus on the role of co-operatives in that process.

The following day, the fellows visited a multi-purpose cooperative, a livestock and dairy cooperative, and a palmyrah cooperative where they talked with the local officials about their work, the issues they face, and their post-war experiences. Young researchers and undergraduates from Jaffna assisted with the translations when communicating with the locals.