‘War’ is no longer the most common word in Sri Lanka. Yet, with all eyes towards rebuilding our nation, there is much to be done in restoring healing and trust between hurting communities that have lived for decades in mistrust of each other.

In a novel initiative under its peace-building project – Empowering Children as Peace-builders (ECaP), World Vision Lanka has brought together children from different ethnic communities to be a part of the writing and the voicing of a peace song.

“Music is a universal language that can transcend all cultural barriers, and bring together people from different backgrounds in an effective and an enjoyable way,” says acclaimed musician and lyricist Nilar Cassim who is also the chief facilitator in creating the song.

“This song is very special because it was composed using the sentiments of children themselves,” he says.

The ground work for the peace song began in April at a workshop which gathered 40 selected children from five World Vision Area Development Programmes (ADPs) - Horowpathana (central), Sevanagala, Thanamalvila (South), Ambagamuwa (upcountry) and Paddipalai (East). Guided by Cassim, the children followed a two day workshop on song writing. Fifteen children among them were chosen for the singing.

“Children have a very positive attitude towards peace,” says Cassim, “at the end of the workshop they each wrote in song their hope for the future of Sri Lanka and the peace song is a collection of sentiments expressed in their songs. The whole process of making and practicing the song was very constructive.”

“I am so happy to be a part of this song,” says Kathirsan (14) from Paddipalai, a remote village in the east of Sri Lanka. “When I sing the lines about a world without fences and boundaries I feel so proud because it is taken from the song that I wrote.”

“I never thought children like me who come from very rural villages could contribute in anyway to building peace in our country,” says Madushika (17) from Velangahaulpatha, Horowpathana, “The workshop helped me realise I can be a peace-builder.”

Apart from gaining knowledge on aspects of song writing and music, the workshop was a special personal experience to the children. To some, it was their first time in Colombo; for all, it was the first time they met children from a different ethnic community. But the way they were able to cross the ethnic divide and the language barrier and forge friendships was a testimony in itself. They all talk about it.

“After the first workshop I returned home and told all my friends how I met Sinhala children and how we became friends,” says Kathirsan, “I told them we even sing together. They were excited to hear my experience.”

“We were used to seeing Tamil children through the bitterness of war, but the workshop gave us a chance to associate them and make friends. Since the first workshop, we have exchanged phone numbers and have constantly been in touch,” says Madhushani (16), Sevanagala.

“It is not difficult to live in harmony with other ethnic groups in our country after all,” says Kethisweran (18), Ambagamuwa.

For Lalindra Ranasinghe, the Programme Coordinator of the WVL ECaP Special Project, the children’s experience is an echo of the many young lives that have been transformed by the ECaP programmes.

“For a long period, Sri Lanka has seen her children and youth being empowered for conflict,” says Lalindra.

“They may not have carried weapons, but generation after generation have been armed with resentment and mistrust of other ethnic groups,” he says. “It is time to empower them for peace and harmony.”

World Vision’s ECaP Project supports children and youth to become empowered peace-builders in their own communities and to help them understand that ethnic diversity is something to celebrate and not something to be feared. Since 2002, ECaP has conducted over 110 workshops and exchange programmes directly and indirectly benefitting over 9,000 people from different ethnic groups representing different areas of Sri Lanka.