It was a great privilege, honor, and pleasure to host religious leaders from Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam for an Inter-Religious Planning Meeting for the Pillars of Resilience Training at the Resilience Hub, Piliyandala. Though we have consulted religious leaders different faiths separately on community resilience, this is the first time that we met all of them together. This event was graced by religious leaders representing the Buddist and Pali University, Rama Krishna Mission, Brahma Kumaris, Roman Catholic Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church of Sri Lanka, Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Sri Lanka and All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama. In addition, the representatives of the US Embassy Colombo and Sarvodhaya Project Management Unit were present. The religious leaders co-created a training calendar for the future training and for the Community Resilience Interreligious Symposium. As suggested by the religious leaders, it was decided to conduct training in diverse groups representing all four religious than in single religion groups. In addition, a host religion was identified for each of the eight training sessions, which will welcome the religious leaders from other faiths in their own place of worship. Pillars of Resilience – Capacity Building of Religious Leaders on Community Resilience is a project funded by U.S. Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka through the Small and Mighty Grants Program, administered by Pmu Sarvodaya and implemented by Resilience and the Disaster Management Center. Thank you very much Dr.Lahiru Kodithuwakku, Kannan Sandralingam, Aslam Saja. Hasuri Pathirana and Claudio Umesh for your valuable support.

Write up: Dr. Novil Wijesekara – Team Lead, Resilience Research, Training, and Consulting, Sri Lanka