North-South journalists meet
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 November 2003, 03:28 GMT]
The North-South Journalists Association (NSJA) of Sri Lanka has been revived after about two years. A function to mark this event was held last Saturday at the Colombo Renuka Hotel under the patronage of the National Peace Council (NPC), sources said.
NPC Governing Council member Mr.Nimalan Karthikeyan and Media Director Dr.Jehan Perera participated at the event. NSJA was founded on April 18, 2001 in Jaffna and had been defunct till recently, sources said. NPC activists Messrs Karthikeyan and Perera were elected patrons of the association. Senior journalists of south and north, Mr. Stanley Samarasinghe and Mr.S. Kathirgamathamby, respectively were elected co-presidents of the association.
The front cover of the bookOn Friday, the NPC released the book authored by journalists of the NSJA, titled, "Ceasefire 2001--lessons for the present." Journalists from both communities were elected to the posts of joint secretaries and of others in the association. The objectives of the association are:
1. Take concrete measures to foster peace and national unity in Sri Lanka by highlighting incidents of inter-ethnic amity and co-operative social intercourse among the journalists in the north and south
2. Provide opportunities to enhance the professional skills of the members of the association by means of periodic training
3. Safeguard the fundamental rights of journalists and voice in unison against any infringement or denial of the rights of journalists.
4. Form linkages between the Association and likeminded organizations, both local and international for continuous professional development and dissemination of knowledge.
5. Promote equality of status among the peoples of Sri Lanka.
6. Uphold journalistic conventions, ethics and democratic traditions and thereby safeguard media freedom.
Mr.Nimaln Karthikeyan hands over the first copy of the book to former Mass Communication Minister Mr.Imtiaz Bakeer Markar
Professor Sitrampalam speaks at the book release ceremony on " Jaffna Then and Now"
New office bearers of the North-South Journalists Association
At the revival meeting of the North-South Journalists Association seated (L-R) Joint President Mr.S.Kathirgamathamby, Mr.Nimalan Karthikeyan, Dr.Jehan Perera and joint president Mr.Stanley Samarasinghe
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