Welcome to ICES Colombo

ICES turns 25 in June 2007. In its 25 year life ICES has recorded innumerable achievements and made a deep and lasting contribution to academia, policy and the arts. From its involvement in shaping key debates exploring notions of ethnicity and violence, to its long commitment to constitutional reform aimed at mitigating conflict, and involvement in shaping language policy, ICES has been a focus of cutting-edge research, thought and policy-making. The 25th Anniversary of ICES will be celebrated throughout the year from 29 July 2007 to 29 July 2008, with rolling events aimed at promoting the vision and core objectives of ICES

The 25th anniversary will showcase the diverse contributions ICES has made over twenty five years to the deeper understanding of ethnic conflict, human rights, gender and social justice through its empirical research and publications, its library, its myriad fora, and its artistic and cultural activities. The events will cover these core thematic activities undertaken over the twenty five years by ICES, with the following objectives:
Milestone

To provide a forum and safe space to discuss and foster the core values of tolerance, inclusion, justice and multiculturalism through understanding and dialogue at a time of shrinking and contested political, civic and cultural space nationally, regionally and globally.
To contribute to critical thinking, dialogue and exchange among academics and activists in the six core programme areas: ethnicity and identity; peace, justice and human rights; state power and politics; gender and sexuality; globalization; art, media and culture.
To identify, nurture and build the capacity of a new generation of young motivated dynamic researchers, policy makers and artistic youth committed to promoting understanding through research and dialogue.
To renew and expand the extensive network of academics, policy makers and artists across Sri Lanka, Asia, and the rest of the world established over the last 25 years of ICES’ work.
To draw back to ICES and renew or deepen relationships with ‘friends of ICES’ around the world – an entire generation of scholars and activists who have been associated with and contributed to ICES over 25 years – and maintain the links between this diverse and ever-expanding epistemic community.
To seek longer term strategic alliances, partnerships and funding to support the mission of ICES to enable it to fulfil its vision and meet its objectives, in serving a peaceful and just society.
To seek specific funding to support the ICES Library, which is a unique institution built up almost single-handedly through deep commitment, and provides a haven to scholars and policy makers with the best collection of books on conflict, law and human rights

In order to provide a platform to showcase these objectives, ICES has planned a calendar of events. These events span the five program areas identified as part of ICES’s strategic planning, as well as its arts, media and culture programme.

Appended below is a general events calendar, but as specific events aimed at celebrating twenty five years, ICES formally launched these proceedings with a “Musical offering for Peace and Unity amidst Diversity” on 28th July 2007. We will host the Global Consortium on Security Transformation in Kandalama, bringing together eighty eminent participants from across the world, mainly the Global South. In March 2008, we will hold a special 25th anniversary regional seminar bringing back scholars and practitioners who have been intimately involved with ICES over the years. We will also publish a 25th anniversary volume, and host special commemorative events celebrating the lives of its most dedicated personalities – Neelan Tiruchelvam and Regi Siriwardena.