The two-day International Symposium – 2013 of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) on the theme ‘Sri Lanka as a Hub in Asia, the Way Forward’, was inaugurated Thursday (22) morning at the KDU auditorium at Kandawalawatta, Ratmalana.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and Mr Lalith Weeratunga, President’s Secretary 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 addressed by a host of eminent and erudite scholars, intellectuals and professionals, drawn from Sri Lanka and other foreign capitals during both days (Aug 22-23).
Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-service Commanders and a distinguished gathering of invitees attended the inaugural sessions on Thursday (22).
The wide range of topics, expected to be taken up for discussion during the plenary sessions, includes comparative, regional, global perspectives, related to reconciliation and sustainable development concepts, etc.
Major General (rtd) Qasim Qureshi, Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Senior Colonel Guo Xinning, Deputy Principal, College of Defence of People’s Liberation Army’s National Defence University, China, Major General S.K Jha, Security Representative, India, were among those contributed to the sessions.
Prof. Rohan Gunaratne, Head, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Major General M.P Peiris, Vice Chancellor, KDU and Mr W.M Amaradasa, Symposium Chair made welcome and opening remarks before the sessions proper got underway.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army too contributed to the inaugural session on defence. He was one among the recipients of a certificate of appreciation on the same occasion.
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 the last year’s symposium, 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. Mr Kithsiri Amaratunga, Symposium Chair raised the vote of thanks at the inauguration.
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