Sri Lanka’s young people face a range of challenges, from limited employment opportunities and financial pressures to concerns about mental health, discrimination and their place in national decision-making. While these issues affect young people in different ways, there is a growing need for a collective approach that recognises their experiences and gives them a meaningful role in shaping the country’s future.
Because of this, the Global Unites convened the National Youth Futures Forum at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo on 4 November, bringing together young people and representatives from different sectors to discuss youth development and national unity. The forum presented findings from national youth research, introduced eight proposed goals for the future and launched the National Coalition for Youth Development and National Unity.
The initiative aims to move beyond discussions about the challenges facing young people towards practical solutions. Drawing on research conducted across all 25 districts, provincial consultations and youth-led activities, it seeks to bring young people’s concerns into national policy discussions. At its heart is the belief that investing in young people and strengthening relationships across communities are both necessary for building a more inclusive and peaceful Sri Lanka.
The National Youth Futures initiative draws on a survey of approximately 2,500 respondents from all 25 districts. This was complemented by 22 consultations across the country’s nine provinces and a youth oratory competition conducted in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.
Together, these activities were designed to gather perspectives from young people with different backgrounds and experiences. Rather than relying solely on discussions among policymakers and institutions, the initiative sought to understand what young people themselves consider important and what changes they would like to see.
The research and consultations examined several interconnected issues, including access to education, employment opportunities, financial pressures, mental health and wellbeing, discrimination, relationships between communities, and participation in decisions that affect young people’s lives.
These concerns reflect the different pressures young people face as they transition into adulthood. Access to education does not always translate into economic security, while financial uncertainty and limited opportunities can affect mental wellbeing and future plans. Discrimination and divisions between communities can also influence whether young people feel included in society.
By bringing these issues together, the initiative aims to develop a broader understanding of youth development, recognising that education, economic opportunity, wellbeing, and social inclusion cannot be addressed in isolation.
A central part of the forum was the introduction of eight proposed goals intended to guide youth development and national unity over the next five years.
These include equal opportunities to learn, economic dignity for every young person, mental health and wellbeing, and equal citizenship without discrimination. The framework also highlights the importance of building relationships across communities, ensuring a meaningful youth voice, promoting truthful and peaceful public life, and advancing reconciliation, service and a shared future.
The goals recognise that young people need more than access to education or employment. They also need environments in which they can participate freely, express their concerns and build relationships with people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
The emphasis on equal citizenship and relationships across communities is particularly important in a country where ethnic and religious divisions have shaped social and political life. Encouraging young people to engage with one another can help create opportunities for understanding beyond the boundaries of their own communities.
Speaking at the forum, Global Unites Founder and President Prashan De Visser said young people had both the ability and desire to contribute to the country.
“Young people across Sri Lanka have ideas, ability, and a deep desire to contribute. We need to listen carefully and work alongside them to create opportunities to serve and lead,” he said.
De Visser described the forum as an opportunity to turn the findings of the research and consultations into a shared commitment to improving young people’s lives while building trust across the divisions that have held the country back.
The launch of the National Coalition for Youth Development and National Unity marks an attempt to bring organisations together around the proposed framework.
Participating organisations will be invited to contribute to the development of a shared strategic plan, identify measurable priorities, and support programmes over the next five years. Their contributions could include research, grassroots initiatives, mentorship, skills development, and engagement with policymakers in order to fight discrimination and other issues.
“We’re seeing discrimination between class, race, and religion,” attorney and Equality Director at iporbono, Aritha Wickramasinghe said. “There’s all been grounds of discrimination but affecting different communities differently.
The coalition is intended to provide a structure through which different organisations can work towards common goals rather than addressing youth-related concerns separately.
This approach also creates opportunities for institutions and individuals to contribute according to their areas of experience. Mentors, educators, community organisations, and other stakeholders could play a role in supporting young people as they develop skills, pursue opportunities, and take part in public life.
For the proposed goals to translate into meaningful change, however, collaboration will need to be supported by clear priorities, measurable outcomes and sustained participation from young people themselves.
“So, when the State is actually formulating policies and looking at how we address discrimination, there is a greater responsibility on the State to look at not just ethnicity and religion, which we have been doing for a long time, but also looking at class and economic background, and how we address that,” Wickramasinghe said.
Ultimately, the National Youth Futures Forum presents an opportunity to rethink how young people are included in conversations about Sri Lanka’s future. Its proposed framework places education, economic security, mental wellbeing, equal citizenship and reconciliation within a shared national agenda.
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