Training for Trusteeship

by Patricia Butenis

Remarks by Ambassador Patricia Butenis at the Training for Trusteeship conference hosted by the Weeramantry International Center for Peace Education and Research.

File Photo

(September 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It gives me great pleasure to be part of the opening of this fourth annual “Training for Trusteeship” workshop. My Embassy is proud to sponsor your conference once again this year. I offer my congratulations to Judge Weeramantry and his staff at the Weeramantry International Center for Peace Education and Research for organizing this event. Judge Weeramantry and his team are at the forefront of advancing the belief that each individual is a caretaker and trustee of the environment. Judge Weeramantry is a valued partner for our Embassy in this and other areas. For example, he is part of a Peace Education Coalition that was formed with several other Sri Lankan Non-governmental organizations, with support from my Embassy, which contributed substantially to the Ministry of Higher Education’s curriculum for its orientation program for incoming university students. So, I must take this opportunity to thank Judge Weeramantry for his unending contributions to making our society more human and more humane.

This year’s conference is particularly timely as the United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year of Youth. And for the first time, this meeting brings young leaders throughout South Asia together to exchange ideas, build relationships, develop projects, and collaborate in many other ways on a positive vision for the way forward.

As I look over this crowd of hopeful young faces, it is easy to catch some of your enthusiasm. While we may come from different countries and have different dialects and traditions, we are united by the things that are important to all people. The support of our family, the desire to learn, the fact that each one of us has something to offer and as individuals can make a positive change. We are all part of an interconnected world. The impact of globalization on our lives is a daily reality and obligates each of us to think and act differently, and to be vigilant about paying attention to what is happening not only where we live, but also elsewhere in the world.

I learned this first hand when I joined my government’s diplomatic corps many years ago. I have served much of my career in South Asia, with assignments in Karachi, New Delhi, Islamabad, Dhaka, and now Colombo and Maldives. I also worked on two brief occasions in Kathmandu. Typically, when I arrive at a new posting, what I notice first are the differences: in Pakistan it was the wonderful, spicy food; in India, it was the incredibly graceful architecture from that country’s multiple cultural layers; in Dhaka I was delighted by the colors and sounds and vibrancy of Bangladesh’s artistic traditions; in Colombo it was the proximity of a gorgeous environment and those majestic elephants; and in Male, the overwhelming presence of the ocean. But, I also, later found commonalities in each of those places that they shared with my culture: the importance of religious belief in daily life, the value parents placed on educating their children, the warm hospitality offered to guests, even strangers, and that our societies and cultures were subject to constant change, which more often than not, was very stressful.

And just as our world is changing, you too will change. This means you must adopt the lifelong discipline of remaining true to who you are, of reflecting on why you are here and of discerning what you are being called upon to do. As we celebrate our achievements, we also feel very grateful to those who have supported us and worked side by side with us: our family, teachers, classmates, friends and, yes, even our Facebook friends.

This year’s program provides a real opportunity for you to build on the foundation you have established as dynamic, motivated, and visionary young leaders. You have already strengthened your communities through the promotion of ideals such as human rights, environmental awareness, justice, and social activism. As you meet with other young leaders during this week, the network you will form will further help you on your path. So I want to thank each one of you for your dedication and hard work and wish you the best for what will be an unforgettable experience during this week. I look forward to hearing your suggestions and recommendations for making the world of your children and grandchildren one worthy of their inheritance. Congratulations to everyone and best of luck this week.