The Peace Expo and Colombo Food Fest 2019 was held in Colombo last week.
The Peace Expo 2019 was a two-day event, first launched in 2016, as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Action Campaign activities.
The event was spearheaded by The Road to Rights, a local youth-led organisation that engages in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a Human Rights approach.
Peace Expo 2019 provided an opportunity to celebrate the International Human Rights Day.
The event also served as a forum to discuss issues in terms of SDGs and other related community issues at the SDG Media zone. As part of this initiative, Road to Rights introduced the SDG Celebrity Ambassador program where celebrities pledged their support to spread awareness, and advocate for 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A public figure can be a powerful tool in mobilising the support necessary to increase the knowledge of SDGs, therefore, these advocates will act as a catalyst of change in the community.
“Through Peace Expo 2019, we aim to provide a platform to promote the efforts of the young people, engage them and to raise awareness on civic issues, establish new partnerships, mobilise potential sponsors and volunteers and increase valued knowledge,” founder Roads to Rights, Ashan Perera said.
“Sri Lanka being placed first at the Volunteering world map adds more value to this event. As such, Road to Rights plans to make this an annual nonprofit fair, bringing NGOs, NPOs, CSR, and Youth led initiatives in Sri Lanka under one forum for a visible social change,” he said.
The Road to Rights is a youth-led organisation set up in 2009 in Sri Lanka aimed at supporting and empowering the youth on creating opportunities, skills development, creativity and innovation by taking a human rights-based approach towards peace and sustainable development. - SJ