Workshop

Human Well-Being: The Role of the Human and Social Sciences

Wednesday 27th February 2008 at The Sarvodaya Headquarters, 98 Rawatawatta Road, Moratuwa.

This Workshop was jointly run by Sarvodaya and the Durham University Project Sri Lanka. It brought together Durham and Sri Lankan academics and other professionals from various fields and disciplines. Their common focus was on the contribution of the human and social sciences to issues of human well-being, including medical and environmental issues.

Topics addressed at the Workshop included:

• Medical ethics and human rights
• Clinical trials and bio-ethics
• Buddhist environmental ethics
• Historical understanding of the Sri Lankan cinnamon industry
• The role of grassroots organisations in rural Sri Lanka
• Disasters and the concept of well-being
• Holistic community development
• Social work, health and poverty

Participants in the Workshop included:

• Dr Vinya Ariyaratne
• Prof Lena Dominelli
• Prof K Tudor Silva
• Prof David E Cooper
• Prof Anoja Fernando
• Dr Simon P James
• Prof Joy Palmer Cooper
• Dr A Ranaweera
• Prof K D N Weerasinghe
• Dr S Shantha
• Dr Salla Sariola
• Dr Subhangi Herath

The Workshop began with welcoming addresses from Dr A.T Ariyaratne, founder and President of Sarvodaya, and Professor David Cooper. It was divided into five sessions, with two presentations in each session.The Workshop concluded with an open forum discussion.

Project Sri Lanka is grateful to Dr Vinya Ariyaratne, Executive Director of Sarvodaya, for hosting the Workshop, and to the Workshop administrator, Ms Sajini Pathiraja (who recently completed an MA at Durham University).