Bridging Cultures through Food and heritage: A Cross-Cultural Dialogue Festival
The event, initially conceptualized by Dr. Mrs. T. Suvanthini from the Department of Agricultural Biology at the University of Jaffna, was developed as a collaborative effort with Dr. J.M.S.B. Jayasundara, Chairperson of the Social Reconciliation Center (SRC) at Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (RUSL). The first event took place at RUSL’s Faculty of Management Studies in Mihintale on September 14, 2023, where Dr. Suvanthini, Prof. K. Gajapathy, and Dr. Hiranya Nawaratna from the University of Jaffna attended with 35 students from various faculties.
The event began with a traditional Sinhala welcome at the Mihintale campus, followed by an opening ceremony featuring speeches and cultural performances. Students were then divided into groups, with some participating in a hands-on session to prepare traditional Sinhalese dishes and others engaging in discussions on the cultural significance of the water cascade system with resource persons from RUSL and Healthy Landscape, an NGO focused on environmental management.
After lunch, the groups exchanged experiences, promoting dialogue on cultural similarities and differences. The event concluded with cultural performances and a discussion led by Mr. Ranjith Upuldeniya, who shared his experiences with Tamil culture, emphasizing harmony and unity. The day ended with positive feedback from participants.
