The Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA)
Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) is one of the 5 regional organisations under the umbrella organisation International Peace Research Association (IPRA). These 5 organisations are: Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA); Africa Peace Research and Education Association (AFPREA); European Peace Research Association (EUPRA); Latin American Peace Research Association (CLAIP); and Peace and Justice Studies Association (North America).
The APPRA has a mission to contribute to the realisation of the fullness of peace, justice and humanity through peace research; peace education; and peace advocacy. Thus, APPRA focuses to advance interdisciplinary research on the conditions of peace and the causes of war and violence in all their manifestations. To this end APPRA shall facilitate international collaboration designed to assist the advancement of peace research, education and action, and in particular to promote national and international studies and teachings relating to the pursuit of international peace in accordance with the principle of freedom of scientific research; and to facilitate contacts between peace researchers, educators and advocates as well as specialists in conflict resolution throughout the Asia-Pacific region, the aim of these contacts being the enhancement of peace research, peace education and peace advocacy.
The Harmony Centre at the University of Vavuniya (Sri Lanka)
The Harmony Centre was established at the University of Vavuniya on 25th September 2021. The Harmony Centre is working to contribute to the realisation of peace, harmony and humanity through peace research, peace education, and harmony related programs. The Harmony Centre at the University aims to encourage students’ efforts in peaceful living, promote inter-ethnic, intercultural, and inter-religious understanding and interactions, and provide comprehensive education for conflict transformation in post-war Sri Lanka. In parts of the North and East, large-scale societal tensions have existed for the past thirty years. The war’s conclusion resulted in the abolition of conflict structures, and the government has used the policy framework to re-establish strategic development mechanisms in these areas. The University of Vavuniya was established in 2021 by an order made under section 21 of the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978 with three faculties, namely, the Faculty of Applied Science, Faculty of Business Studies and Faculty of Technological Studies with ten departments. The University of Vavuniya’s foundation in this highly war-affected region gives a new path for growth in these places. The purpose of the Harmony Centre is to promote harmonious existence among students and staff through social, cultural, educational, research and scholarly activities and to function as a catalytic and resource centre for harmony and social cohesion at regional and national level. The University aims to provide, promote, and develop higher education in the region and at the national level. The students are admitted from all over the country and from all ethnicities and all religions. The University is located in Vavuniya, which is a multi-religious location itself.
The Gate Foundation (UK)
Since 2015, The Gate Foundation has functioned as a research group based in the UK and, in collaboration with international think tanks, NGOs, charities, and universities, organised several conferences, seminars, research projects and workshops to advance social and economic development and human rights of war-affected communities, particularly in Sri Lanka. Realising the need to scale up, formalise and institutionalise our activities, The Gate Foundation was registered as a non-profit organisation at Companies House in 2022, in the UK. Since then, in collaboration with local partners, the foundation has made significant progress in developing new pathways and delivery. The Foundation’s vision is to become a prominent research and innovation gateway for sustainable development and governance, primarily in war-affected communities in Sri Lanka, by providing research and scientific-based innovative solutions to address socio-cultural, economic and human security issues and challenges.