Desa Live @9: Live Discussion with Shiraz Younus

Date: 17 January 2018
Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Programme: Desa Live @9
Discussion Topic: What Does the Future Hold for Colombo? - Reconciliation and Urban Politics
Guest: Shiraz Younus
Position at the Time: Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna candidate for the Colombo Municipal Council
Platform: Facebook Live - Desa Hambantota
Hosted by: Isura Wickramarachchi
Advertised Broadcast Time: 9:00 PM

On 17 January 2018, I organized an episode of my "Desa Live @9" Facebook discussion series in Colombo, featuring Shiraz Younus, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna candidate contesting the Colombo Municipal Council election.

The programme was presented under the theme "What Does the Future Hold for Colombo?" with particular attention to reconciliation among communities, the future of the city, and local government politics.

Two questions formed the basis of the programme's promotion: "What is the genuine reconciliation that people seek?" and "How can Colombo achieve political success through reconciliation?"

These questions were intended to encourage discussion about relationships among Colombo's diverse communities, political representation, and the common needs of its residents.

Organized in the lead-up to Sri Lanka's 2018 local government elections, the programme provided an opportunity to hear from a candidate representing the Muslim community. His participation reflected my effort to include individuals from different social and religious backgrounds in the "Desa" discussion series.

Colombo is home to communities with different ethnic, religious, and cultural identities. In that context, reconciliation was a relevant subject for public discussion, extending beyond political messaging to questions of coexistence, equal opportunity, mutual respect, and shared civic responsibilities.

Through the wider "Desa" series, I sought to organize conversations with national political figures, local representatives, professionals, and election candidates. This particular episode brought together the subjects of community relations and urban political representation.

The programme was advertised for a 9:00 PM live broadcast through the "Desa Hambantota" Facebook page. My responsibilities included coordinating the guest, developing the discussion theme, preparing the promotional poster, and hosting the live conversation.

This programme, dated 17 January 2018, forms part of my personal timeline as an example of my efforts to use social media to encourage discussion about community relations, reconciliation, and the future of urban society during an election period.