Sunday Mar 08, 2026
Sunday Mar 08, 2026
Saturday, 7 March 2026 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| Sakiththiyan Kirivel |
The introductory paragraph in the social media content about the pioneering ‘Circular Economy Forum,’ that is to be held 7 March (today) at the Arc Building in Jaffna reads as follows.
“Forget everything you know about ‘Waste’. In a broken linear system, we take, make, and throw away. But the future of the Northern Region is circular. One person’s waste is another’s resource. We are gathering the ‘Force’ of the North-environmental activists, undergraduate students, and eco-initiatives-to restore our ecological balance.”
It then goes on to explain further.
“Whether you are an entrepreneur, a researcher, or a nature lover, this session is for you. Don’t just watch the change - be the one who designs it.”
At a leadership training held last year by the Yaarl IT Hub in Jaffna, Sakiththiyan presented his idea. Thereafter, together with likeminded persons, mostly youth, he founded the Terra Force, a civilian movement that he hopes will gather momentum to create awareness and action towards how society sees things they discard as garbage.
“My dedication for several years since I was a teenager was to understand the economic aspect of things we call rubbish. My advanced level stream was Biology but since I was interested in the circular economy in general I enrolled in a seven month online masterclass while I await entering university to study Green Technology,” he explains.
Q: What is it that you want achieved?
A: I wish to redesign the financial and resource flows of the Northern region to ensure long-term prosperity without waste.
Q: Why were you drawn to Green Technology as a university subject?
A: My interest is in different angles of looking at waste. This led me to study the Circular Economy, as it provides the most effective framework to redesign our production and consumption patterns. Having studied the technicalities of circularity, I realised that my role wasn’t just to learn the science, but to translate it into a practical movement for the province. My interest began with a personal realisation that the Northern Province needed modern, scientific solutions for its environmental challenges.I chose Green Technology because I believe we are at a point in history where ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option. Most subjects teach you how to operate within the existing system. Green Technology teaches you how to redesign it. I wanted the technical foundation to prove that environmental protection and economic prosperity are partners and not enemies.
Q: Please explain what you hope to achieve through the Circular Economy Forum to be held in Jaffna?
A: Our first step is to steer a ‘Mindset Shift.’ In the North, we have a long history of being resourceful, but the modern ‘Take-Make-Waste’ linear economy has created a massive waste problem. Through this forum at the Arc Building, we want to introduce the Circular Economy as the new ‘Economic North Star’ for our youth. We want to prove to university students and young entrepreneurs that sustainability is a profitable, resilient business strategy.
Q: Please speak of those involved in the organising of this event.
A: This event is organised by Terra Force, a youth-led movement we founded in July 2025 with a vision to restore the earth’s ecological balance. Terra Force is a team effort. I am representing it on behalf of four other founding members. While I lead the vision, it is the dedication of these founding members and our extended team that has allowed us to mobilise so quickly. We are a collective of youth organisers who met on the field during activities such as cleanups and university sessions. We realised that while we were all doing small things separately, we needed a ‘Force’ to unite us and move from theory to implementation
Q: How were the speakers of this forum selected and what will they do after they speak?
A: We didn’t want theorists. We wanted practitioners. We have S. Virushan (Saho Creations) representing the ‘Sharing Economy,’ K. Thushanthan (Dream Garden) and Karai Niroshan (Pallueir) representing ‘Biological Regeneration,’ and Narththana (Journe) and Rahulan (Save a Life) representing sustainable services and production. They are committing to being the ‘Founding Mentors’ of the Terra Force network. We are building a bridge where students in the audience can follow up with this team to turn their own ‘Circular’ idea into a reality.
Q: Will you continue to have such events in the near future?
A: Yes. Our goal is to create a permanent platform where the transition to a balanced system is constantly monitored and discussed.
Q: Have you not invited the Jaffna Municipal Council officials for the forum?
A: Our immediate focus is on building a ‘Youth and Entrepreneurship’ foundation. However, once we have established this group of circular pioneers through this forum, we intend to present our findings and collaboration ideas to the Council. We believe the best way to support the government is by bringing them innovative, proven solutions from the youth sector.
By the end of this forum, Terra Force expects to have a registry of young people ready to launch circular initiatives. We expect this to be the end of ‘isolated efforts’ and the beginning of a unified, circular movement in the Northern Province.
