Global Reconciliation: Sri Lanka trip (2 March 2011)

David Lurie, one of the firm’s partners, is a director of the NGO Global Reconciliation which is a network of people and organisations around the world which seeks to promote communication and dialogue across national, cultural, religious and racial differences. The patrons of Global Reconciliation include Reverend Desmond Tutu, The Honourable Sir William Deane, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, Dr Bernard Lown, Professor Amartya Sen and Dr Lowitia O’Donoghue.

Below are David’s recollections and observations after returning from a recent trip of Sri Lanka in his role as co Chair of the Sport and Recreation theme of Global Reconciliation.

In November 2010 I travelled to Sri Lanka with AFL footballers Brett Kirk, Richard Tambling, Adam and Brett Goodes, Brad Sewell and Johno Mullins together with Gareth Andrews (Vice President of GFC), Pippa Grange (of late of the AFL Players’ Association), Ishika Kawiratne (a Senior AFL Commercial Manager), Michael Drapac (Drapac Cycle Team) and Professor Paul James of RMIT to listen, learn, exchange ideas and knowledge of culture and traditions and contribute to reconciliation projects among and with Sri Lankan people of various ethnic backgrounds.  This knowledge to be applied to projects involving both Australian and Sri Lankan communities, and elsewhere.

Our group consisted of indigenous and non-indigenous footballers, a sports official, sports and commercial legal advisor and a sports psychologist, community workers and experts in globalisation and community reconciliation projects, men and women with a thirst for learning personally about their own cultures and traditions and those of other communities.  Sharing experiences of what works and does not work in bringing together people of different ethnic backgrounds to work, study and play sport together so that stereotypical views of each other are dispelled.

Each one of the footballers exhibited respect for the dignity of the other and conducted himself with patience and understanding in the sincere sharing of ideas and knowledge, feelings and experiences.  They answered honestly and elicited understanding.

We met with an elder of the indigenous community of the Vedah, Buddhist and Muslim clerics, passionate and brave youth leaders, school principals, teachers and students, Sri Lankan sportsmen and women, officials and ministers of government and the Australian High Commissioner.

The mantra of the Sri Lankan youth movement “Sri Lanka Unites” had reasonance for them: “The hatred of the past, controls the present and destroys the future”.

The footballers presented at school assemblies and youth groups as well as to politicians and consular officials.  They are wonderful ambassadors of themselves, their generation, Australian rules football and of Australia.

The footballers participated in the life of the Seenigama community and also with a community in Hambantoto, attended discussions, played cricket and soccer with youth teams conducted aussie rules clinics and exchanged ideas and thoughts with members of the communities and their leaders (spiritual and temporal).

Particularly, they inspired and were inspired by Kushil Gunaskera, founder of the Foundation of Goodness.  Kushil, together with Muttiah Muralitharan (the nemesis of Australian batsmen) work tirelessly for disadvantaged communities.  The Foundation of Goodness has not once, but twice (before and after the tsunami) created a sustainable community in Seenigama.  A community which provides for rural homes with piped water and mains electricity.  The teaching of English, IT, vocational studies and sport.  There are kindergartens, schools, medical, dental and maternity clinics, sporting ovals and swimming pools.

Before our visit, Richard, Brad, Brett Kirk, Brett Goodes, Adam and Johno were committed to work with and help those disadvantaged Australians who live in disfunctional communities and to learn how a sustainable community model which empowered the disadvantaged, could be created.

Projects that will emerge from the visit to Sri Lanka will include firstly a Sri Lankan mult-ethnic Aussie rules team (Sinhalese Tamil, Muslim and Christian kids) to be possibly represented at the AFL’s international competition next August.  The funding of this Reconciliation Team will be “stapled” with the funding for the construction of a kindergarten and sporting facilities for a Foundation of Goodness project in the troubled northern part of the country which had borne the brunt of the civil war that ended in 2009.

In addition, taking much from Kushil’s example, it is intended to utilise sport as a tool for promoting personal and community development projects in disadvantaged communities in Central and Northern Australia.

The focus will be on mental, physical and social health, and the development of life skills of the youth of these disadvantaged communities including possibly a stake in commercial enterprises in those communities.    The footballers believe that they can assist in the creation of a community model that teaches how sport, a thirst for education including an understanding and pride in culture and tradition can enhance self esteem and create a pathway out of poverty.  As emphasised by Sri Lanka Unites the future of these communities is with its youth.  There will be a framework for ongoing collaboration and support between youth leaders from these various communities.

The commitment, contribution, intellect, skills, goodwill, spiritual maturity and sincerity of Richard Tambling, Brett and Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Brad Sewell and Johno Mullins were outsanding.