Our next edition of Spotlight Asia Live is coming up! We are excited to invite you to our upcoming virtual event on conflicts in Sri Lanka on April 5, 7-8 pm (CET).

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Mohamed Shareef Asees, Sir Lankan Visiting Scholar at Freie Universität Berlin and recent Philip Schwartz-Initiative (PSI) Fellow (threatened scholar) at the International Security and Development Center (ISDC).

After gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1948, Sir Lanka has experienced political and social unrest, including ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil communities, in the 1950s and 1960s. More than two decades later, a civil war erupted between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, a separatist militant group seeking an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka. This war lasted for 26 years and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.

In 2009, the Sri Lankan government declared victory over the Tamil Tigers, effectively ending the civil war. However, the conflict left deep scars on Sri Lankan society and the country continues to grapple with issues of reconciliation and justice. In recent years, Sri Lanka has faced various challenges, including political instability, corruption, economic struggles, and natural disasters.

The conflict in Sri Lanka has had a profound impact not just on Sri Lanka but also on other parts of the world. In our event, we will discuss recent challenges and put a special focus on the minority perspective. Further, we will focus on the impact of this conflict on Europe and beyond.

Please register for the event below. We look forward to seeing you there!

Spotlight Asia Live is our event series where we aim to discuss current and relevant topics from the Indo-Pacific region. We aim to provide information on various cultural, geopolitical, economic and social issues from different countries in the region.

The event will be held on Zoom and in English. We will also provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions and engage in dialogue with our panelist.

Please note that the event will be recorded to recycle parts of the discussion in a podcast. Contributions from the audience will not be reused.

Date: April 5, 2023

Time: 7-8 pm (CET)

Venue:  Zoom