Diaspora (Pakistan)

Peacebuilding organisation International Alert yesterday published a new report, Voices across borders, which calls for greater engagement between the UK government and diaspora communities, in order to improve peace and development.

‘We should go and see David Cameron about this!’, was the conclusion of the Lancashire youth group taking part in our project, “Promoting Positive Voices in Diaspora Communities”.

In the Lancashire mill towns of Brierfield and Nelson, International Alert is training young people in a diaspora community affected by conflict at home and abroad, to be peace advocates.

International Alert Sri Lanka, along with our partners the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Youth Business Sri Lanka (YBSL) launched the “Investment Tab” of the Regional Enterprise Development Initiative (REDI) on 10th July 2012. It is a web-based portal to encourage and enable regional entrepreneurs who want to start their own business, but do not have sufficient funding or access to markets and investors to do so. It is also meant for potential investors and partners, including from the Sri Lankan diaspora, to access information about local market opportunities.

Over 120 people packed into a large Committee Room in the House of Commons on Wednesday night to hear the Voices for Reconciliation group of young British Sri Lankan diaspora members describe their vision for peace – at home and in Sri Lanka.