December 14, 2010, Chandigarh-Sri Lanka: For the first time in the history of Chandigarh, a city based NGO, Yuvsatta, signed an MOU with Chandigarh-Sri Lanka Forum to promote educational exchange programmes, people to people communication, and building new leadership.
On Tuesday, an eleven member delegation from Chandigarh, led by Pramod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta, signed an MOU with SUNFO (Sri Lanka United Nations Friendship Organization) headed by Dr. Deshapriya S. Wijetunga. On the occasion around 200 young people; teachers, students and social activists were present at a formal function at Don Bosco Technical Centre in Negombo, Sri Lanka.
Welcoming the new initiative Dr. Deshapriya S. Wijetunga said that Sri Lanka and India enjoy a unique intimacy and the inseparable link between the two countries is well reflected in almost all the aspects of the socio-cultural structure of Sri Lanka. At one level, nothing could be easier than celebrating India-Sri Lankan relations. After all, India is Sri Lanka’s closest and natural neighbour.
Father Dixon Fernando of Don Bosco Technical Centre, Negombo added that the relationship between our two countries is more than 2,500 years old and both sides have built a long legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic exchange. And, building further upon this strong foundation, newly forged Chandigarh- Sri Lankan Forum vouched to enhance the peace processes and harmony between the two countries.
In his concluding remarks Pramod Sharma shared that Chandigarh represents the modern face of India where one can find people from almost every state of India living in harmony. And the Chandigarh-Sri Lanka Forum is going to promote more and more strong bonds, awareness of social issues, exchange of progressive ideas and providing solutions for internal conflicts. In 2011 Yuvsatta volunteers intend to forge such ties with people of other countries as well.
Prominent Chandigarhian’s who were present on the occasion and become the founder member of this forum includes Reeta Kohli, Addl. Advocate General, Punjab, Dr. Gurmeet Singh, Senator, Panjab University, Deepika Thakur, student leader from Panjab University, Sanjay Sharma, Chief of Bureau, Times of India, Munish Nagar, Correspondent, Hinsdustan Times, Navneet Kaur, a social activist, Ravi Sharma, Principal Correspondent of Dainik Bhasker, free lance journalist & writer Vandana Shukla.
