8th Dr Anamika Ray Media Lecture Held In Colombo

Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust, Guwahati in collaboration with National Library of Sri Lanka organized its 8th Dr Anamika Ray Media Lecture at National Library, Colombo on October 15, 2024.

The eighth edition of this lecture series was on the theme, “Media for Peace: Exploring  Journalism's Role in Social Harmony” delivered by Prof Professor Ranjan Hettiarachchi, who is a renowned scholar in mass media and communication, serving as a professor at the Sri Palee Campus, University of Colombo. With a distinguished career in media studies and linguistics having a master's from Pune University, India; a doctoral degree from Hiroshima University, Japan and post-doctoral as a Fulbright fellow at Virginia Tech University, USA.

Prof Hettiarachchi touched upon the fact, that the media is today's most potent single influence, helping to shape public opinion about the importance of fostering harmonious relations between various ethnic groupings and encouraging national solidarity. Responsible media can act as a vital bridge between separated populations in post-conflict cultures, encouraging reconciliation and understanding. The media has proved its ability to change public opinion, enable dialogue, and amplify minority perspectives, demonstrating its potential to actively contribute to peace-building, spreading, and maintenance, eventually encouraging social harmony.

This lecture examined the nature and trends of media reporting on ethnicity and social harmony in Sri Lanka, addressing relevant challenges and issues. The welcome address in the lecture was delivered by the Director General of National Library of Sri Lanka Mr W Sunil and the concluding remark was delivered by the member of the Board of Trustees and Professor of UCLA, Dr Aparna Sharma.  The students from different media institutes and universities attended this lecture along with a host of invitees.

Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust organizes a national media lecture every year to emphasize its vision to enhance media education. The first Lecture was delivered by Prof Mohan Jyoti Dutta of the National University of Singapore in 2017, followed by Dr Jatin Srivastava of Ohio University, USA in 2018; Dr Pallavi Guha of Towson University, USA and formerly journalist of BBC (UK) in 2019, Dr R. Sreedher, Emeritus Professor, AIMC; Former Director, CEMCA; EMPC, IGNOU, New Delhi; AIR, Doordarshan; EMC, Anna University, IIT Roorkee in 2020 and Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury, Secretary, Global Media Education Council; Former Pro Vice-Chancellor, Adamas University, Kolkata; Dean, Symbiosis, Pune; Amity University, Mumbai. The 6th edition of this lecture series was on the theme, “How much social is the social media” delivered by, Prof Sachchidanand Joshi, renowned author, actor, poet, historian and communication scientist, who is currently the Member Secretary of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi and the last year lecture was delivered online by Dr Gulam Rahman, former Chief Information Commissioner of Bangladesh.

The trust is a Guwahati based NITI Aayog registered educational and research non-profit organization established in 2015. ARMT has pioneered the Anti-Medical Terrorism movement in the region, working studiously for the patients’ rights and responsibilities since its inception with a mission mode of recognition ‘Right to Health’ as one of the Fundamental Rights in the Indian Constitution.

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