Children`s March To Promote Peace Nationwide

by C.M. Paul

(September 25, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)In the wake of continuing attacks on Christians across India, children in the predominantly Buddhist Sri Lanka are on a massive initiative targeting nationwide to build peace, harmony and good will in a country ravaged by war, violence, apathy and insecurity for over 35 years. To mark 50 years of service for youth in the island, Don Bosco Society Sri Lanka along with the Chefs Guild of Lanka are sponsoring a 100-member Buddhist children`s band from Thailand as a joint initiative with a group of progressive Buddhist monks.

``Sri Lankan children will have a rare opportunity of seeing a world-class brass band perform and also interact with them in a series of two-hour events that will coincide with the International Children`s Day,`` says the sponsor Salesian Provincial Father Anthony H. Pinto.

``Marching Towards Peace with Children`` is Don Bosco`s way of contributing their mite to the country, in addition to the numerous social works, including vocational training for youth of all races and religions,`` adds the country`s Salesian Provincial.

100-member Buddhist Children`s Show Band

The award-winning Sarasit Phithayalai School Marching & Show Band (gold medal winners at the 2006 World Marching Show Band Championships in Korea), comprise children 9 to 18 years of age. These children from Ban Pong district pursue their academic studies and foster their love of music under the wings of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Thailand. They will be accompanied by Thai Salesian Provincial Father Theparat Pitisant. The group will fly in from Bangkok on Sri Lankan Airlines flight, September 29 and will stay at Don Bosco Centre Colombo.

``The heartwarming fact of this peace flight is that the children in the band have visited house to house in Thailand and raised funds for their air tickets,`` says the CEO-Project of Don Bosco Sri Lanka, George Panicker.

The band will perform for 13 days from October 1 to 13. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has invited the band to perform at Temple Trees - The Presidents` House on October 2. Every show will be open to all children and people of goodwill.

Don Bosco in Sri Lanka

Don Bosco Sri Lanka takes care of about 25,000 children in 16 centres across the island since 1956. In the north they work in the warzone facing constant bombing by the Sri Lankan army as well as the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam).

Sri Lanka`s first Salesian Provincial, Father Anthony Pinto has been a time-tested crusader who spearheaded a massive anti-paedophile campaign along with country`s leading Buddhist monks that shook even the government to take action to stamp out this sex menace.

For Pinto`s installation as provincial in 2007, half of the massive church at Eththukala Negombo was filled with Buddhist monks. Earlier, during the Tsunami relief on behalf of Sri Lanka Don Bosco, Pinto procured and disbursed about Euro 12 million to provide housing and other items of assistance in all affected areas to look after 6,000 to 8,000 families for more than six months.

Today, some 64 Salesians work in Sri Lanka along with more than 30,000 Salesian Fathers, Brothers and Sisters as well as millions of Past Pupils and Co-Workers spread across 130 countries in Asia-Australia, Africa, Europe, North and South America. - Sri Lanka Guardian