::::Future World Leader Summit ::::

SRI LANKAN DELEGATION OF JULY 2002

Just two weeks before the arrival of Sri Lankan Prime Minister in the US capital once again it was Sri Lanka all the way at the 2002 Future World Leaders Summit held in Washington D.C. USA over the summer week of July 6th to 12th at the Georgetown University. The summit opened with the announcement by the Dean that Sri Lanka is the largest foreign delegation with 29 delegates followed by Guatemala 28 and Canada 25. The Sri Lankan delegation consisted of 17 girls and 12 boys from 7 Public Schools and 5 International Schools.

The Sri Lankan country presentation choreographed by former delegates Manekha Prematilleka of Ladies College and Thanuji Shanmugeratnam formerly of British School was the most outstanding followed by the Indian and Honduran country presentations. The Sri Lankan presentation had all the elements of a professional show, with a well choreographed traditional dance routine to the music of Yanni that most foreign delegates understood and applauded. The colorful costumes designed by Miriam Gunetilleke for the girls & Barbara Sansoni Fabrics of the boy's national dress together with a devil mask dance and a beautiful video of Sri Lanka Tourism in the backdrop held the 450-member audience from 35 countries spell bound for 6 minutes.

This opening ceremony gave Sri Lanka so much visibility and respect throughout the week that was very cleverly capitalized by the delegation to outstand not only as the largest foreign delegation but also as the most friendliest and talented delegation respected by the Instructors and fellow delegates. The Future World Leaders Summit bi-annually brings together over 400 student leaders in the age group 16 to 19, to explore international relations from an insiders view, develop diplomatic skills and understand the changing world economy. The summit is organized by Presidential Classroom Inc. a non-profit civic education organization incorporated in 1968 in America. Today this organization with a worldwide alumni of over 97,000 is headed by former US Republican Congressman Hon. Jack Buechner who represented the State of Missouri from 1987-1991. He opened his welcome address by asking the audience as to who had visited Sri Lanka, a country he had visited as a Congressman. He complemented Sri Lankan Ananda Rajapakse the Hony. South Asia Representative for Presidential Classroom Inc., for promoting this program in Sri Lanka and India during the past 4 years. For the first time this year the summit witnessed a delegation of 10 students from New Delhi in India who were also outstanding delegates. Participation at this summit gives students credit hours for admission and scholarships to most American Universities. Over 20 Sri Lankan students who have participated in this summit since year 2000 are now studying in American Universities on Scholarships.

For the 5th consecutive time a Sri Lankan representing Asia was elected by the 430 delegates to speak at the Graduation Banquet on the last day of the summit. This year it was Eranjan Kempitiya of Royal College Colombo who had the honor to bring glory to this Island nation in Asia that is now well known at this Summit for producing world-class young English orators. Eranjan is a Sri Lankan coloursman in Squash and Captain of his college debating team. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Presidential Classroom Inc. Dr. John Barrasso a well known Orthopedic Surgeon in USA who had been a delegate at this program as a student in 1976, commenced his address by praising Eranjan for his well delivered Banquet Speech. 2003 Future World Leaders Summits are scheduled for 22nd March and 5th July.

At this summit the student leaders are organized into 11 working groups of 40 each focusing on issues on current global topics. During the week the students debate the issue, consider the view -points of each country and formulate a position statement to the final summit on the last day of the week. To achieve the goal of having each working group's statement adopted by the entire summit the final communiqué is carefully drafted through a process of persuasion, compromise and consensus building between different country delegations and presented by the best available orators on behalf of each working group. This year the topics discussed in the 11 working groups were, Environment, Peacekeeping, Arms Control, Nationalism, Terrorism, World Trade, International Aid, Technology, Human Rights, Health Concerns, and Refugees. Six of the 11 Communiqués were drafted by Sri Lankans. They were Ruveen Dias, Anika Amalene, Nicole Parakrama who also went on to Present the Communiqué at the final summit, Sherazad Hamit, Dhiluk Perera, Devanand Sounderaj and Kusal De Silva. At this July summit only 2 communiqués were passed, that on Technology and International Aid.

The members of the Sri Lankan delegation for the July 2002 Future World leaders Summit were; Mayuca Pandithage, Lilli Kariyawasam, Norosha Gunatilleke all of Visaka Vidyalaya, Talya Fernando, Aarthi Dharmadasa, Dulith Senanayake, Anika Amalene ,Sherazad Hamit, Avinash Nanayakkara, Irindu Wimalasena, Aindri Jayasinghe, Praveen Abeygoonesekera, Stasshani Jayawardena, all from Colombo International School, Amiel Weerasinghe, Eranjan Kempitiya and Chathuka Senanayake of Royal College, Ruveen Dias of S. Joseph's College, Amrith Adihetty of Staffords International School, Oshini Jayatunge and Shakila Jayawardena of Musaeus College, Kusal De Silva of DS Senanayake College, Karin Wijeratne, Devanand Sounderaj, Dhiluk Perera and Nicole Parakrama of Asian International School, Duhitru Talwatte of Ladies College, Hiran Jayasinghe of British School , Arthica Seevartanam of ACBT and Anjuli Guneratne of Bishops College. Joining the British delegation from Sri Lanka was Jennie Harrisson of CIS and the Indian delegation was Rahul Gautam of CIS and Joys Chokatte of British School.