Sri Lanka Project (GROW II) Advisory Committee
September 14, 2006 (Thursday) 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Conference Room, Learning Center
Present: Phyllis Cunningham, Deb Pierce, Murali Krishnamurthi, Rick Orem, Gene Roth, Laurel Jeris, Sabiha
Daudi, Cindy Cambell, Jorge Jeria, Jaya Gajanayake, Meena Razvi, Nalika Diyadawa, Rey Ty, and Sharee
Clough
Guests: Jezima Ismail, Stanley Gajanayake
Minutes of the Meeting:
Phyllis Cunningham, chairing the AC meeting, indicated that the major agenda for today’s meeting is a
conversation with a special guest from Sri Lanka, Jezima Ismail – the Chairperson of the advisory
committee in Sri Lanka - who is visiting NIU during her stay in New Hampshire, to meet with the NIU
advisory committee.
Jaya introduced the speaker indicating that Jezima Ismail has acted as the Chairperson of GROW
Project Advisory Committee in Sri Lanka for the last four years. She is a peace activist and was
awarded the Presidential Award for National Service, a very prestigious award in Sri Lanka. She is a
very sincere leader, committed to social justice. Jezima is the Chancellor of the South Eastern
University of Sri Lanka and holds many other national level leadership positions.
Jezima started her presentation saying that this will be a very informal presentation and she will be
speaking from her heart, as a person who has dedicated life to the cause of the Sri Lankan politics at
the local level.
Presentation Summary
Leadership of Sri Lankan women is important given the issues the country is facing today. In order for
us to succeed in this effort, efforts such as GROW Project are very critical. Corruption in politics in
Sri Lanka needs to end and we need to use both heart and brain to make this happen. There is a need
for humanness. There is also a need to determine what needs to be done to rid government of
corruption in politics. Projects such as GROW can enhance these vital aspects of good governance.
The GROW II process began with the above as the core values and had many added functions related
to various aspects of political leadership. There is a need in Sri Lanka today to transform politics into
service. There is a need to replicate this project in other parts of the country. GROW project has
strengthened our capacities. This is a great benefit but this alone is not enough. This needs to be
consolidated and stabilized by a continuing process, probably through GROW III. Even though we
have faced a set back in terms of funding, we have decided and are committed to continue the good
work through our advisory council meetings. There should be a commitment to make GROW III
happen and even to start GROW IV. Resurgence of violence, as was reported in the news lately,
indicates a need to focus on conflict transformation. There is a need to set up measures that ensure
justice. The project needs to take forward its mission and further enhance our knowledge on
democracy and good governance and justice.
Summary of the follow-up discussion
 In responding to a question by Laurel on the meaning of transitional justice, Jezima
indicated that transitional justice became clear to her when the Tsunami struck Sri
Lanka. In a country where many people are living in abject poverty, social justice and
equity will be established only when basic needs are addressed and presence of
deprivation is sorted out. Basic justice needs to be implemented and the basic
acceptance of human rights should be given emphasis. Also along with this process,
establishing support for livelihood is extremely important. This is an issue of training,
skill development and providing capital. Dignity of the women living in abject poverty
comes with being able to have some money to buy their basic day-to-day needs. It adds
to their confidence. Women at grassroots level need confidence. Women have the
strength and humanness to work together. In the case of the Tsunami reconstruction,
the process must be transitional justice leading to restoration of this dignity. A good
support structure should be in place to make this happen.
 Phyllis mentioned that we need to be creative and move forward with GROW III. We
should be creative in finding resources. She suggested forming a group to try to find
funding for the Sri Lankan Project. Jaya stated that she is looking for other funders
besides the State Department and also will develop a proposal to replicate the GROW
experience in a few other countries in South Asia.
 Deb stated that there is so much passion and expertise in the GROW Project that it
would be a waste to let it go. She requested the Sri Lankan interest group/advisory
group to continue, while the search for alternative funding continues. Jezima said that
we should try other methods of obtaining funds - for an example - inside Sri Lanka.
 Gene Roth noted that we need to let people know what the project has accomplished
and should build on the work through writing and publishing, connecting theory and
practice. This would make the efforts stronger. Laurel indicated that the upcoming
issue of Convergence will publish the story of GROW I and its transition to GROW II.
Jaya said that there is a manual that is being developed currently on the Good
Governance curriculum of the one-year Diploma program. She also provided
information of other conference presentations that the project related staff/faculty had
on the GROW project experience.
 Phyllis recommended that since the CAHA retreat is coming up, it would be an
excellent opportunity to get students involved in the Sri Lankan project. It could also be
a way of getting resources. She nominated Meena to be a representative to be in-charge
of this mission. The session at the retreat could be a brainstorming session with the goal
of starting up a student group and perhaps coming up with innovative ideas for project
continuation.
 Deb indicated that Cobb Grant awards faculty funds for travel for teaching and research.
 Phyllis suggested that there could be a two-week program in Sri Lanka – for an example
- for about 5 students, getting 3 or 6 credits- when Laurel is spending her sabbatical in
Sri Lanka. This would give students an opportunity to experience a different culture
and also will help to put more energy into the project. Gene suggested piggybacking it
with a conference in India.
 The next meeting of the AC meeting will be on Tuesday, October, 17 at 1:30 p.m.