In the immediate aftermath of the Army-organized year's mega international parley, 'Defence Seminar 2014, the two-day International Symposium – 2014 of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) on the theme ‘Expanding Developmental Horizons through Education, Research and Innovation’, commenced this morning (21) at the KDU auditorium at Kandawalawatta, Ratmalana.
Dr Sarath Amunugama, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and he delivered the keynote address in the inaugural session.
The annual symposium, comprised of simultaneous parallel sessions on thematic Defence, Medicine, Engineering, Law, Management, Social Sciences, Humanities and Education that come within the purview of KDU academia, is to be contributed to by a host of eminent and erudite scholars, intellectuals and professionals, drawn from Sri Lanka and other foreign capitals during both days (Aug 21-22).
Tri-service Commanders and a distinguished gathering of invitees attended the inaugural sessions on Thursday (21).
The wide range of topics, expected to be taken up for discussion during the plenary sessions, includes comparative, regional, global perspectives, related to Defence and Strategic Studies, Engineering and Technical Sciences, Medicine, Allied Health Sciences, Law, Management, Social Sciences and Humanities, etc.
Professor Rohan Gunaratna, Professor (Dr) Atta Ur Rahaman FRS (Pakistan), Brigadier General Zakriya Manzoor (Maldives NDF), Senior Colonel and Professor Wang Yang (PLA NDU, China) , Major General P.S. Madeer (Indian Army), Major General MD Zahidar Rahman (Bangladesh Army) and Brigadier NKW Adugodapitiya are among those contributors to the sessions.
Major General M.P Peiris, Vice Chancellor, KDU and Dr. Namali Sirisoma, Symposium Chair made welcome and opening remarks before the sessions proper got underway.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, Commander of the Navy and Commander of the Air Force too were present at the inaugural session on defence.
In parallel plenary sessions covering the fields of Medicine, Law, Engineering, Management, Social Sciences, Humanities and Education, several university academics, sociologists, engineers, managerial experts, scientists, legal luminaries from the country have been invited to conduct the deliberations.
Fully well comprehending the needs of contemporary Sri Lanka, the KDU as the only defence university that offers graduate courses in defence studies in the South Asian region, is spearheaded under the able guidance of its Vice Chancellor, Major General Milinda Peiris.
In previous symposiums, related issues under the theme ‘National Security Through Reconciliation & Sustainable Development’ were taken up for discussion with the objective of harnessing and exchanging the myriad of experiences of professionals and policy-makers.
Major General M.P. Peiris, Vice Chancellor, KDU welcomed the gathering at the inaugural session.
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