SDJF concludes two month training programme on promoting pluralistic values through Radio drama

Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SDJF) successfully completes its two month weekend training and capacity building program on promoting pluralistic values through radio drama. 19 students from three selected schools representing three different ethnic groups attended this programme. This programmes was supported by Neelan Thiruchchelvan Trust (NTT)

In the initial phase, students - 12 girls and 7 boys from three different religious background – Hindu, Islam and Christianity, were educated on different pluralistic values they can endorse such as respecting ethnic diversity, religious tolerance, bridging gaps between religious groups, enthusiastic engagement in integrating diversities, maintaining democracy, respecting human rights, propagating non-violence, interfaith communication, respecting law and order and encouraging dialogue to understand each other.

During the second phase students were capacitated on translating the pluralistic values they learnt into radio dramas. Special focus was given to build vibrant human characters, dramatic settings, script writing, developing intense story boards, working on drama language, editing scripts, voicing, recording and directing radio drama. Whilst engaging in this process, students improved their skills in developing stories on themes dealing with conflict transformation, negotiation and dialogue, tolerance, gender equality, peace building and strengthening reconciliation process.

Radio drama is an effective and efficient medium of making attitudinal change and peace building, strengthening reconciliation, fostering pluralistic values and social development. These norms were practised only by a limited number of trained broadcasters in Sri Lanka. Acting, scripting and directing radio dramas were mostly performed by well-trained people and rarely, opportunities were opened up for youth. Also, this is the first truly committed radio drama program that created a platform for the students to perform in promoting pluralistic values and strengthening reconciliation.

At the end of the programme 10 scripts covering wide arrays of promoting pluralistic values were developed by the students. The students got a rare opportunity to be mingled with two radio drama veterans G. P Vedanayaham and Lucus Thiruchcelkvam when the finalized scripts were acted. Final recording took place in Jaffna Central College. Principal of Jaffna Central College emphasized that this was the first time that students from Jaffna Peninsula got this kind of an exposure to produce dramas for radio.

Commenting on this programme M.C. Rasmin, Director of SDJF noted that initially the students were reluctant to be acquainted with students from other ethnic groups. Nevertheless, during the training period they have started working intimately with each other in developing plots and story lines displaying that Sri Lanka’s future in terms of ethnic reconciliation is not bleak. Meanwhile, soon after the final recording they started to cry and hug each other marking an emotional moment of bidding adieu. Few students sharing their attitudinal changes or inner transformations said that the program on radio drama production has given them an opportunity to learn the potential of other ethnic and religious groups in attaining a common good for all, and how to respect people from different ethnic, religious, linguistic, cultural and gender background. Also the process of radio drama production has given the direct exposure to the students to engage diversity.  

I believe that the programme impacted immensely to change the ways how students from different ethnic groups treated each other. For the last two months they were fully engaged with the program. I think this is an important practice that helps to eliminate the incompatibilities amongst students when coping with multicultural societies and building a united Sri Lanka, stated Mr. Elilvendan the principal of Jaffna Central College.