Wilfred Karunaratne

Sri Lankan Social Change Advocate
1982 Right Livelihood Award Winner

birthdate: ?
birthplace:
Sri Lanka

QUOTES

"We look at development in fundamental humanistic terms as a process of overall development of people and their potential. Bringing out the creativity and the potential of the people is the means as well as the end of development."

Grass root initiatives are still a very controversial animal in many third world countries. Often they have been looked upon with suspicion and sometimes they have been interpreted as 'subversive' moves of some kind. They often run the risk of either co-optation or repression. Hence grass root initiatives needs legitimacy and recognition if they are to move away from the marginal place which they currently occupy to the main stream of social life. They have to be recognised as effective methods of reaching the poor and of fostering participation which is a basic human right. A government committed to another development and to participation as a basic human right, could go a long way in creating the necessary political climate for grass root initiatives to expand into wider social movements.

The enlightened sections of the international community can play on important role by acting as a lobby/pressure group to facilitate more space, legitimacy and protection to grass root initiatives...

 

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