2011-01-27 13:37:04

Jaffna diocese unites Sinhalese, Tamil youths


(January 27, 2011) The National Catholic Youth Federation in Sri Lanka and Jaffna diocese have attempted to use their national meeting to promote friendship between Sinhalese and Tamil youths in the former war-torn region. This 53rd national Catholic youth meeting was held in Jaffna diocese on January 21st to 23rd, at the Fatima retreat centre, Pandatheruppu. Sinhalese youths travelled from the south and met with northern Tamil youths to share war experiences, tragedies, comedies and retreat, aimed at bringing back joy and laughter among youths. “We had enough of it. We don’t need it anymore,” Bishop Emmanuel Thomas Savundranayagam of Jaffna told youth participants. The war brought disasters, deaths and left with the people ethnic hostility. It has affected the lives of youths in all communities, he said. According to war reports 90 percent killed in the almost three-decade civil war were Tamil and Sinhalese youths. “Youth are not only our future but they are our present too,” said the bishop. He encouraged Sinhalese youths to associate freely with their Tamil peers. “Jaffna is also one of the places in the country, so now you can enjoy this place,” he said.







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