Reassess our cultural heritage
A bulk of articles that appear in both English and Sinhalese newspapers make clear that Sri Lankans value culture like no other. In fact we are what we are today thanks to the struggles of our previous generations.
That is exactly why we should respect our cultural heritage regardless of our ethnicity, be it Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslim. If parents can teach children to respect each other, they would naturally respect other ethnicities and religions when they grow up. Reconciliation would no longer be a dream word then. Children should also be enlightened on natural and cultural heritage.
Natural heritage encompasses all components of the environment we live in. Cultural heritage comprises monuments, heritage sites and languages.
These facets are an instrumental factor in passing on the cultural heritage to the future generations.
As UNESCO’s ‘Learning The Treasure Within’ maintains: “Understanding others makes possible a better knowledge of oneself: any form of identity is complex, for individuals are defined in relation to other people - both individually and collectively - and the various groups to which they owe allegiance, in a constantly shifting pattern.”
Understanding and valuing cultural diversity are the keys to countering racism.
All individuals must feel free to explore the uniqueness of their culture and identity while developing understandings of the cultural diversity that exists in the world around them. Denying cultural expression means limiting the expression of unique perspectives on life and the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation.
Bandulal Nonis
Via email
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