Desa Live @9: Live Discussion with Dr. Bandula Gunawardane

Date: 24 January 2018
Location: Homagama, Sri Lanka
Programme: Desa Live @9
Guest: Dr. Bandula Gunawardane
Discussion Topic: What Does the Future Hold for Sri Lanka?
Platform: Facebook Live - Desa Hambantota
Hosted by: Isura Wickramarachchi
Advertised Broadcast Time: 9:00 PM

On 24 January 2018, I organized an episode of my "Desa Live @9" Facebook discussion series in Homagama, featuring Dr. Bandula Gunawardane, who was serving as a Member of Parliament at the time.

The programme was presented under the theme "What Does the Future Hold for Sri Lanka?" It was intended to explore perspectives on the country's political and economic direction and to make those views accessible to a wider online audience.

Dr. Gunawardane had experience in public affairs, particularly in areas relating to economic policy and education. Inviting him to participate in the discussion was part of my effort to bring the perspectives of public representatives into conversations about Sri Lanka's future.

The programme was promoted for live broadcast through the "Desa Hambantota" Facebook page. A dedicated promotional poster was prepared, featuring the guest's photograph, discussion theme, date, and scheduled broadcast time.

My broader objective in developing the "Desa" series was to use social media not merely as a platform for publishing opinions, but as a means of facilitating direct public discussions on matters of national importance.

My involvement included coordinating with guests, identifying discussion topics, designing promotional material, and hosting live conversations. These responsibilities contributed to my experience in digital media, visual communication, programme production, and public engagement.

This programme, dated 24 January 2018, forms part of my personal timeline as one of the early initiatives in the "Desa" discussion series, through which I sought to connect public representatives and audiences using emerging digital communication platforms.