That Evening in Cardiff…
A Gathering in Wales on 25 October!
That evening in Cardiff began like any other. A chilly breeze swept beneath the Welsh sky. Between the city’s towering buildings, people went about their daily routines. Yet, at one particular venue that evening, a conversation was beginning about a small island thousands of miles away.
That island was Sri Lanka!
On 25 October, Sri Lankans from diverse backgrounds, including Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communities, gathered in Cardiff to mark the second anniversary of the National People’s Power (NPP) government. Organised under the leadership of Comrade Darshana Hettiarachchi, the United Kingdom organiser of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), together with a group of activists, the gathering was about much more than exchanging political views. Through music, dance and cultural performances, memories of the motherland came alive.
When an old song from home fills the air, when familiar dances unfold before our eyes, or when we find ourselves among people speaking our own language, something special happens to those living far from home. For a moment, they reconnect with the land from which they came.
The motherland is not merely a territory marked on a map. It is their past. It is the home of their people. It is the collection of experiences that have shaped their lives.
The conversations at our Cardiff gathering were not confined to memories of the past. Participants exchanged views on Sri Lanka’s current political direction, the path the country should take towards progress, and the changes its people hope to see. The participation of several Sri Lankan academics and scientists working across different professional and scholarly fields in Wales added a special dimension to the event.
A Gathering Rooted in Sri Lanka’s Political Transformation
The Cardiff gathering on 25 October took place against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s political transformation following the election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in September 2024 and the subsequent electoral victory of the National People’s Power (NPP) in the November 2024 parliamentary election. The NPP, a political alliance in which the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) plays a leading role, came to power promising to tackle corruption, improve public accountability, strengthen the rule of law and build a more equitable society.
For Sri Lankans living in the United Kingdom, these political developments remain significant despite the geographical distance from their homeland. The Cardiff gathering provided an opportunity for supporters and members of the Sri Lankan community to reflect on the government's political direction, discuss the challenges facing the country and exchange views on the social and economic changes they hope to see.
Organised with the involvement of JVP activists in the United Kingdom, the event also demonstrated how political engagement with Sri Lanka continues within diaspora communities. Alongside cultural performances and social interaction, the gathering offered a space to discuss the country's future and the aspirations of Sri Lankans who wish to see lasting improvements in governance, economic opportunity and social equality.
A better future for the children of our country!
Rebuilding the lives of people whose opportunities have been taken away by poverty!
Creating a society where young people can remain in their own country and build successful futures through their talents and abilities!
Building a nation where every person receives equal respect before the law!
These are questions that every society genuinely concerned about its country’s future must confront.
Transforming a nation is a long journey, filled with challenges. The people’s aspirations were for precisely this kind of social transformation. Political hopes become reality not through words alone, but through policies, action and tangible improvements in people's lives.
Everyone who attended the Cardiff gathering shared this kind of optimism and hope when reflecting on the NPP government’s two-year journey.
The conversations about Sri Lanka among those who met in Cardiff that evening did not end when the gathering was over. They are conversations we must continue to have, again and again, through discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas.
The true meaning of love for one’s motherland lies in the aspiration to create a better tomorrow for the people who live there.
That was the hope at our gathering in Cardiff, Wales, as we reflected on the journey of the past two years!