‘Goodwill journey’ to Jaffna by BEEZ for green project

By Ralph Gunawardena

Last year’s environment commemoration program prompted the Colombo University Zoology Department (BEEZ) to counter climate change and global warming. It was decided to start the project in Jaffna with the University of Jaffna, Zoology Department, not only to create awareness on climate change and global warming but also to promote the goodwill and harmony between the two universities and communities. 

When Colombo University sent an invitation to Jaffna University requesting for a joint program, Jaffna University readily agreed as both Vice Chancellors knew the value of the program in terms of the climate change, goodwill and harmony. The two chancellors’ blessings went a long way for the success of the journey. Originally it was planned to take place in September 2016 but postponed twice and finally it came true in February 2017 thanks to Colombo University Zoology Department Head Prof. Wipula Yapa and Jaffna University Zoology Department’s Dr. Abeyrami Sivaruban who coordinated the entire event in Jaffna.

Both universities made several sacrifices especially not to have lectures for two days on 16 and 17 February as it was planned to have the program on a week day in order to get the maximum support from the schools in Jaffna. As a pilot project it was decided to plant trees in 50 schools in five zones namely Vadamarachchi, Thenmarachchi, Valikamam, Nallur and Islands in Jaffna.

CandleAid, a charity organisation made arrangements to send the plants from the Forest Department Plant Nursery in Killinochchi to Jaffna well in advance. The academic staff and the undergraduates of the Colombo University started the ‘goodwill journey’ on 16 February early morning with three ‘goodwill trees’ donated by Colombo University Vice Chancellor Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake, Rupavahini Corporation Chairman Ravi Jayawardena and People’s Bank Chairman Hemasiri Fernando. 

Most of the undergraduates were making their maiden visit to Jaffna primarily, perhaps to promote the goodwill and harmony. The Colombo group was hosted to a bonfire dinner by the Jaffna University Zoology Department. The acting Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University Prof. G. Mikunthan, the Dean of the Science Faculty Prof. R. Vigneshwaran and the Head of the Zoology Department Dr. Gnaneswaran graced the occasion. It was a ‘Right Royal Welcome’ from Jaffna University, which no one anticipated. The place (the university square) was nicely lit and tables were decorated with flowers and candle stands. At the centre of the square was the bonfire and a stage had been erected for a mini show.

The evening started with a Tamil song by a Sinhalese girl who is a 3rd year student at the Jaffna University Zoology Department. By her performances the stage was set for all the students to mingle with each other without any differences. Then there were a couple of Tamil group songs and a dance item – all by the Jaffna students. The compeer then requested the Colombo students to perform, they obliged although they were not prepared. 

Dinner was served by the undergraduates of the Jaffna University to their guests – Colombo undergraduates and to the representatives of the sponsors. It was a very well prepared dinner with Jaffna culinary at its best. After the dinner it didn’t take time for all undergraduates to start their sing song and dancing. At the start the Jaffna girls were a bit quite but gradually one by one got joined the group and all were together as one set of friends dancing their cares away. 

Most probably all were waiting for this moment to set aside their differences and start a new leaf in their lives. There was a white board for students to write their comments and one comment was ‘Jaffna we love you, please do come to Colombo’ with a sign of a heart. Reluctantly, the organisers had to stop music at 10:45 p.m. to arrange the place for the most important program on the following day otherwise the dancing would have continued till midnight.

The following morning all were welcomed in a traditional Northern way at the opening ceremony. It started with a silent prayer followed by a couple of speeches. Prof. Yapa of Colombo University in his address thanked the two Vice Chancellors for giving their blessings for the meaningful program that bonded the two universities in a unique way. He suggested that both universities should work together in the future to counter climate change and global warming and also to promote the goodwill and harmony. 

He extended an invitation to the Jaffna University Zoology Department to come to Colombo and join them to commemorate the World Environment Day in June 2017. Prof. Yapa did not fail to thank the Zoology Department of Jaffna University for the arrangements made for a successful program specially conducting school competitions for essays and art based on climate change and global warming. 

Acting Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University Prof. G. Mikunthan in his address thanked the Colombo University Zoology Department for initiating such a meaningful program which is very appropriate in today’s context. He requested the Colombo undergraduates to see how the Bo-Tree and the Palmyrah Tree grow side by side somewhere in Mankulam and Chedikulum. Though both trees have special features for both communities, in nature both trees grow in harmony side by side and that’s a good example for us to follow, he emphasised. Being an agricultural graduate, the Acting Vice Chancellor requested both Zoology Departments to continue what they have started in midst of any obstacles. After the speeches the certificates were distributed for the winners of the art and essay competitions.

The symbolic tree planting took place at the Jaffna University premises. The Acting Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University planted the goodwill tree presented by the Colombo University Vice Chancellor with the help of Prof. Yapa and Dr. Sampath Seneviratne – thus being the main event of the morning program. The other two goodwill trees were planted by Prof. Mayuri Wijesinghe of Colombo University, Dr. Gnaneswaran of Jaffna University and the Regional Manager of the People’s Bank. Outside, all the undergraduates (Colombo and Jaffna) were ready to board the buses to go in different directions to plant trees in outstation schools. 

It was a pleasure to see how the academic staff and the undergraduates of the two universities mingled with the school children specially the kids in Jaffna outstation schools who do not get much prominence. They all worked together for a common cause in a true human spirit. 

Brochures on climate change and global warming also were distributed among the school children. Staff from People’s Bank, DFCC Bank, Mobitel, and People’s Leasing and Finance, were in big numbers for the tree planting campaign while CandleAid, Mobitel, HNB and DFCC Bank donated plants for the program. There was another meaningful program carried out simultaneously – that is the distribution of waste bins donated by the Rotary Club of Moratuwa to keep the school environment clean. If we are to have a healthy nation, a clean environment is a must and the awareness must start from schools.

After tree-planting event the participants came back to the university. The academic staff and the undergraduates of the Jaffna University had taken a lot of trouble to prepare a special lunch for the visitors. It was nice to see how all were seated on mats and enjoyed the lunch served on banana leaves. Some Jaffna ladies were wearing expensive sarees and shoes while others who went for tree planting came with denim and ordinary shoes but when they came to lunch all had to remove shoes and sit on mats. This clearly shows how simple their lifestyle is but rich in traditions. 

After lunch two cricket matches for girls and boys took place and it was a shorter version of T-20 that is, T-10, ten overs a side. Since some of the Colombo undergraduate cricketers came from cricketing schools such as Royal, Ananda, D.S. Senanayake, Vidyarthaetc they were badly beaten by the Jaffna undergraduates but Colombo girls managed to win their match after a hard struggle. It was not a question of who won or who lost. Both sides played very hard but at the end of the day it was the friendship that came out from both matches.

After the matches the sing song continued from where it was stopped the previous night. The weather was fine with a cool breeze was blowing across the ground and little by little the darkness crept in and it was time to wind up a memorable journey to the North. For some (4th year undergraduates) this was their last outdoor activity in their university career which ended up in a high note. The bold decision that was taken by the two Vice Chancellors for sake of unity in the country and goodwill among the undergraduates of both universities paid off rich dividends. Both sides will not forget this memorable event of their lives. 

If not for Prof. Yapa of the Zoology Department of the Colombo University and Dr. Sivaruban of the Zoology Department of the Jaffna University this event wouldn’t have taken place. The Colombo Undergraduates had a rare opportunity of visiting poor schools in Jaffna and talked to the school children while planting trees. This may be the first time that those school children met undergraduates in their lives. Though this was a joint project the bulk of the work was done by the University of Jaffna and we all must raise our hats to them. 

There were so many who deserve to be mentioned specially the sponsors…People’s Bank, Sampath Bank, Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank, Brandix Sri Lanka, Free Lanka Trading, Singer Sri Lanka, Elpitiya Plantation, IUCN, People’s Leasing and Finance. There were several banners given by the big companies as their contribution. Environment Ministry Director Climate Change Dr. R.D.S. Jayathunga supported the program from the start and arranged the Tamil Literature and brochures on climate change and global warming to be distributed among the school children in Jaffna.

Zoology Department of the Colombo University will host them in June this year and I am sure the Colombo undergraduates will do their best to welcome their counterparts from Jaffna. We understand that some of the Jaffna undergraduates have already asked their Colombo friends to prepare traditional Colombo food such as Kiribath, Lunumiris, Kavum, Kokis, etc and now messages are going up and down from Colombo to Jaffna and vice a versa regarding the pending visit to Colombo from Jaffna. Facebook has brought them more closer than before. 

Due to the sad past that we had for nearly three decades it may be difficult to bring the two communities together but not impossible. The two universities proved that beyond any doubt. Though the idea was to counter climate change and global warming, it ended up with the friendship, goodwill and harmony. The main thing is not to look back but to look for the future. Let the tree planting continues year after year and the corporate sector should encourage the undergraduates to get involved more and more in programs such as this for sake of unity and harmony in the country. Colombo undergraduates had the will to go to Jaffna which they never did before and Jaffna welcomed them with open arms which they also never did before. Well done University of Colombo and well done the University of Jaffna.

There is a misconception that undergraduates are there to create problems in the country. Some say that they are waiting to strike without following lectures. We should be able to divert their energy for a good cause. The undergraduates of the two universities diverted their energy for a good cause to counter climate change and global warming and ended up by promoting the goodwill and harmony which is the need of the hour. If the Bo Tree and Palmyrah Tree can grow side by side in nature, why not we live in peace and harmony in our beloved country? The Colombo University Zoology Department with the help of the Jaffna University Zoology Department planted three goodwill trees in Jaffna and it may become 30, 300 or 3000 who knows? Someone should continue from where undergraduates stopped and there will be more ‘Green Cover’ and ‘Goodwill Trees’ in Jaffna. These trees can be the bond between the North and South.