All arrangements for conduct of the flagship project of the Sri Lanka Army, ‘Defence Seminar - 2014’, themed on ‘Sri Lanka: Challenges to a Rising Nation’ at Colombo Galadari Hotel during Aug 18-20, are now receiving final touches with the list of foreign participants, is still on the increase.
‘Defence Seminar - 2014’, fourth in sequel of annual forums, is slated to open, share and discuss a wide gamut of issues, related to Sri Lanka’s post-conflict recovery and diverse challenges facing the Nation in its march to be the wonder of Asia.
Initiated on a conceptual notion of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary of Defence and Urban Development, this year’s forum, meticulously organized on the directions of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, is to be addressed by more than twenty guest speakers, including eminent scholars, intellectuals and think tanks of international reputation and recognition.
‘The Ascension of Sri Lanka’, ‘Economy’, ‘National Security’, ‘Region Challenges’, ‘Global Challenges’ and ‘Concluding Session’, are among major sub themes, expected to be covered during the three-day seminar by scholars, like Dr D. Suba Chandran, Director at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (India), Dr Subramanian Swamy, Ms Mariam Safi, Founding Director, Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies (Afghanistan), Ambassador (Retd) Arif Ayub, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad (Pakistan), Mr Patryk Kugiel, Analyst at the International Economic Relations and Global Issues Programme at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (Poland), Prof. Rwekaza S Mukandala, President of the African Association of Political Science (Tanzania), Dr. Tang Siew Mun, Director, Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Malaysia), Dr. Wang Weihua, Assistant Director, Institute for Foreign Policy Studies (China) and Dr. Yeo Lay Hwee, Director of the European Union Centre in Singapore (Singapore).
All of them are to submit their presentations on ‘Indian Perspective of Sri Lanka’s Pursuit of Prosperity’, ‘India-Sri Lanka Relations’, ‘Afghanistan, After ISAF’, ‘Pakistan: an Imperative to the Rise of Asia and the Region’, ‘Sri Lanka, a Nation Between the Gulf and ASEAN; a Perspective’, ‘An Emerging Nation in Asia; a Western Perspective’, ‘The Development and Rise of the African Nations and Sri Lanka; a Comparison’, ‘Malaysia, an Epitome of Progress and Prosperity’, ‘China-Sri Lanka: Four Decades of Stable Relationships’ and ‘Imperatives to Prosperity of a Rising Nation’ respectively during three-day sessions.
The opening ceremony with the keynote address of Dr P.B Jayasundara, Secretary to the Treasury, is followed by presentations of Mr Lalith Weerathunga, Secretary to President, Prof. G.L Peiris, Minster of External Affairs, Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Governor, Central Bank and Dr Sarath Amunugama, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning on the first day of the Seminar. Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake is to make the welcome address at the inauguration.
The first day sessions will focus on ‘Peace and Rise of Sri Lanka: an Inseparable Partnership’, ‘Defining the Nation’s Success: a Critical Examination of the Ascension of Sri Lanka’, ‘Sustaining Economic Momentum in the Nation’s Journey to Prosperity’ and ‘Sri Lanka: Claiming a Stake in Global Prosperity’.
The sessions, chaired by Mr Prasad Kariyawasam, Mr Ravinath Aryasinha, Major General M.P Peiris and a few others, will also be contributed to by Major General G.V.D.U.A Perera, Rear Admiral D.C Gunewardena, Mr Asanga Abeygunasekara, Air Vice Marshal K.V.B Jayampathi and Dr Chris Nonis, High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Great Britain who is billed to deliver concluding remarks on the Day-3.
‘A Land Force Doctrine to Meet New Demands to Secure and Further an Island ‘Nation’s Interest’, ‘Security Challenges Faced by an Island Nation in Pursuit of a Maritime Hub’, ‘Ensuring a Secure and Safe Airspace in Pursuit of Sri Lanka’s Ambition to Become the Aviation Hub of the Region’, Indian Perspective of Sri Lanka’s Pursuit of Prosperity’, ‘Afghanistan, After ISAF’, ‘Pakistan: an Imperative to the Rise of Asia and the Region’, ‘Sri Lanka, a Nation Between the Gulf and ASEAN; a Perspective’, ‘An Emerging Nation in Asia; a Western Perspective’, ‘The Development and Rise of the African Nations and Sri Lanka; a Comparison’, ‘Malaysia, an Epitome of Progress and Prosperity’, ‘China-Sri Lanka: Four Decades of Stable Relationships’, ‘Imperatives to Prosperity of a Rising Nation’, ‘India-Sri Lanka Relations’ and ‘Sri Lanka’s Role in the Security of Asia in General and Region in Particular’, are among other sub themes that would be taken up for deliberations.
‘Defence Seminar 2014’, aims at inspiring discourse on the rise of Nations after a conflict with the express objective of showcasing Sri Lanka’s progress in development, reconciliation and promoting regional cooperation, in the context of a country which has shifted momentum towards development as prosperity.
