Workshop on Media Advocacy and Youth

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The Rotaract Club of Faculty of Law, University of Colombo conducted their first project for the Rotaract year 2015/16; the ‘Workshop on Media, Advocacy and Youth’ under the avenue of Professional Development on 21st of July 2015, chaired by Rtr. Nishadi Gunatilake and Rtr. Thahira Cader, in collaboration with International Alert and USAID. Fifty Rotaractors participated this one-day workshop, which was held at the Ceylon Hall of the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.
The objectives of this project were to strengthen the skills and confidence of Rotaractors with regard to understanding and involving in governance of Sri Lanka, to establish and support dialogue processes around the constructive and positive role which can be played by Rotaractors in governance, and to provide the tools needed for Rotaractors to lobby and engage with issues like accountability and transparency.

The workshop was done in two sessions; the first session was conducted by Mr. Sanjana Hattotuwa, the editor of Groundviews and a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Policy Alternatives and a pioneer in leveraging web based citizen journalism, focusing mainly on the use of social media for advocacy and new frames of social witnessing. The second session, a focus group discussion, was conducted by Mr. Mohamed Hisham, a Mentor and Motivator of Oxfam International Youth Partnerships and the Co-Spokesperson of ‘Rally for Unity’, a collective of young professionals who are working together to positively campaign on an anti-hate, anti-racism platform.


The project resulted in increased awareness amongst the Rotaractors as to how they could actively get involved in governance and promote accountability by using media as a tool in advocacy and discussion, and developed skills of leadership and activism in participant Rotaractors, which will be beneficial in their future endeavours.   

By Rtr.Nishadi Gunathilaka 

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