UniversityInspire students used new media tools to enjoy their freedom of expression.

New media technology can be used to communicate ideologies, opinions, and ideas to

influence and empower communities, and it is a tool that can be used to promote human

rights values such as freedom of expression, thoughts and conscience. Over the past two

years, SDJF is promotinge many human rights and democratic values among

Sri Lankan youths through the project InSPIRE by utilizing new media tools for

creativity and innovation. As a part of the project students are equipped with new

media tools such as doodle art, mobile photograph, mobile video story, multimedia article

and blogs. As a result, they were used the techniques and produced the stories that affect their community and regions. In the meantime, project also provided a physical space within the university premises a media incubator space for free expression. Finally, the students

gathered within the incubator space to launch their media products and generate wider

dialogue on identified themes. The event was held on 08 th February 2023 at the University of Peradeniya in the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA) with the participation of

Dr.Uvasara, The Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Anuradha , Senior Lecturer, Ms.Chandula

Kambukage, Project Manager, Helvetas, Ms.Ashviny Jayamohan, Project Manager, Sri

Lanka Development Journalist Forum, Ms. Chamodi, Communication Officer and students

of Agriculture department were participated.

During lunch, as the first category Yohan Frenando and Ruvini presented their mojo videos under the theme of current economic crisis to the audience. “I’m grateful for the knowledge that the SDJF gave us through the InSPIRE project. It greatly helped me to create my mobile video under the close mentoring and guidance from SDJF, which is about a special issue today that many communities face due to the economic crisis,” said Yohan Fernando.

The most interesting part of the lunchevent was the mobile photography round, in which students presented a variety of photographs that they had taken based on

many social issues. The majority of the photographs were based on the current economic

crisis in Sri Lanka and its impact on society. Nadeesha Yaparathne, who presented five

creative photographs she had taken on a variety of subjects, including environmental

pollution and the impact of the economic crisis on general lives said the project

InSPIRE helped her immensely with all the creative pictures that she has taken. “I was

someone who had no knowledge of photography or even editing. After participating in the

workshop that the SDJF organized, I gained knowledge about photography. I can proudly

say all these pictures I submitted to the competition were because of the InSPIRE project”. The mobile photograph presentation session received the most positive feedback

from the audience, and several students presented their innovative and creative photographs,including Yohan Feranado and Dinithi Gamalath, who also presented their photo graphs,which were based on the economic crisis, environment, poverty, and many other topics.Yoong Monalisa, Yohan Frenando’s most appealing photograph, received many positive comments from the audience.

Dr. Anurada Jayasinghe, addressed the students and shared his outlook on the students’ media productions. “Through this space, SDJF and Helvatas have given the students the opportunity to raise their voice in a creative way on social issues such as equality, freedom, and minority rights. It’s great to review all these media products. After seeing these products, I can say that Project InSPIREspire has really inspired all the students who have done those media productions. I would like to thank Helvatas and SDJFf for opening this platform to our students.” Students also presented the blog articles that they had written regarding various issues.

Dilshi Samarasinghe, an undergraduate student at the University of Peredeniya, presented an article that she had written for her blog regarding the crisis. Nethmi Ariyarthne’s blog article, which is about the rights of minority communities, university students, got audience attention, and many of the other students who participated in the lunch shared their opinions. “Most frequently, lectures in arts faculties are delivered in Sinhala; even in the English medium, our lectures only use Sinhala to explain things. In this situation, Tamil and Muslim students who cannot understand Sinhala become helpless. Even in common events such as sporting events and drama productions, the majority of Sinhala students take an active part in university life. Through my article, I attempted to raise this issue and discuss the racism that exists in the university system,” said Nethmi after her presentation. Udayangani Bandara, Chamali Wejesekara, and Hasinika Dasanayke were other students who presented their interesting blog articles based on varying social issues. Dr. Uwasara Disanayaka, senior lecturer in the agriculture faculty, addressed the event and said, “I impressed with all of the media production and your critical view of various issues, which were topics for your wonderful productions.I would like to thank SDJF and Helvatas for this platform, which they have created for our students through “Project InSPIRE.”

Following the launch of media products at the incubator space, two sharing sessions were

conducted inside the incubator space, where the Inspire network members from the University of Peradeniya shared their media products with students from other departments and faculties to create a discussion and dialogue on the issues highlighted in the media products.

Anurada Jayasekera, an undergraduate student of the faculty of arts, said, “All the pictures

are so interesting, and the themes that they have captured are things that everyone meets in daily life. But we're not worried. I learned through this production to be kind and open- minded about all the issues that exist in society. I’ d like to thank the Inspire project for allowing us to participate in this event”. Ashviny Jeyamohan, the project manager of SDJF, and Chandula Kumbukage, the project manager of Helvatas Sri Lanka, addressed the students on behalf of Project InSPIRE.

Thereafter SDJF has organized two pocket sharing sessions within the university to share these media products with non-project beneficiaries and create wider awareness among them. In this respect, Ms.Chandula has facilitated one meeting while Ms.Ashviny has facilitated the other meeting.

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