Voice of Image
© Rifla Hatton / Voice of Image
Sri Lanka is a country of vast cultural diversity, yet a deadly civil war has led to the polarisation of the country’s diverse ethnic and religious groups. The war lasted from 1983-2009, witnessed several youth insurrections and cost more than 100,000 lives. Resulting in a generation of youth that grew up in a war-torn and segregated country. Although the war ended in 2009, Sri Lanka’s social and political climate remains unstable. Today, extremist voices are driving and instigating religious-based attacks across the country hindering the process of peaceful reconciliation.
Voice of Image (VOI) is an initiative that mobilises youth to be a ‘voice’ for social change. By including youth in peace building initiatives, they are given the chance to choose peace over violent conflict, and take part in the reconciliation process to restore harmony in Sri Lanka. By utilising the power of photography, we can alter perspectives and induce sensitisation and can therefore aid in removing antipathy and prejudice in individual and collective consciousness.
Throughout the initiative VOI’s socially engaged youth photographers will identify and capture the many different voices, cultures and realities all over the country. These images will allow youth, religious leaders, and community leaders to come together through exhibitions and dialogues as a means to understand current situations and address issues at the grassroots level. This project is further expected to contribute to local conflict prevention through community action, youth empowerment, understanding and open dialogues on “social equality and justice” in societies.
The organisation behind the initiative is the Centre for Peacebuilding and Reconciliation (CPBR). A Sri Lankan based peacebuilding organization set up in 2002 by two individuals as a means to promote peaceful coexistence among diverse communities in Sri Lanka, by working across the religious and ethnic divides.
Voice of Image (VOI) is an initiative that mobilises youth to be a ‘voice’ for social change. By including youth in peace building initiatives, they are given the chance to choose peace over violent conflict, and take part in the reconciliation process to restore harmony in Sri Lanka. By utilising the power of photography, we can alter perspectives and induce sensitisation and can therefore aid in removing antipathy and prejudice in individual and collective consciousness.
Throughout the initiative VOI’s socially engaged youth photographers will identify and capture the many different voices, cultures and realities all over the country. These images will allow youth, religious leaders, and community leaders to come together through exhibitions and dialogues as a means to understand current situations and address issues at the grassroots level. This project is further expected to contribute to local conflict prevention through community action, youth empowerment, understanding and open dialogues on “social equality and justice” in societies.
The organisation behind the initiative is the Centre for Peacebuilding and Reconciliation (CPBR). A Sri Lankan based peacebuilding organization set up in 2002 by two individuals as a means to promote peaceful coexistence among diverse communities in Sri Lanka, by working across the religious and ethnic divides.
