Prof Norton is an Assistant Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and the Director of MA Programme in International Peace Studies at University of Peace in Costa Rica. He coordinated the international programme development process for the International Peace Studies MA programme in 2003 and oversaw the launch of the programme and its pilot year, 2003-4. Presently, his responsibilities include overall programme operations; curriculum development; creating and maintaining links with academic and international institutions; student affairs; donor reporting; and ensuring implementation of all programme objectives in keeping with the University’s mandate from the United Nations General Assembly. Prof Norton holds an MA in Conflict Resolution.
Ms Mukherjee is an instructor for the MA programme in Peace Education and has helped United Nations affiliated University for Peace to coordinate the programme. She has co-taught in the year long Peace Education Seminar and she facilitates seminars for Foundation Courses on Peace and Conflict Studies. Apart from advising students on the completion of their thesis, Ms Mukherjee is involved in in-service training for the faculty on teaching methodology at university level. She is working with two local marginalised communities to document and implement Peace Education. Ms Mukherjee holds a Master of Education with concentration in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy.
Mrs Panagoda, the initiator of Diploma in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, is the Coordinator of the Conflict Resolution and Peace Support Programme at the BCIS. She is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the Kotelawala Defence Academy and at the moment is on her sabbatical leave, working for the BCIS. Apart from law; she has specialised in conflict resolution and security studies. She has participated in a curriculum development programme on peace and conflict studies organised by the University for Peace in collaboration with the Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Jamia Milia Islamia, in Delhi. She is a visiting lecturer at the BCIS and the University of Colombo on Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies.
Prof Cooray is the Associate Professor of the Department of History and Political Science at the University of Colombo, with extensive knowledge on all aspects of International Relations and International Politics. He is a visiting lecturer at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.
Dr Melegoda is a Senior Lecturer attached to the University of Colombo’s Department of History and Political Science. She holds a B.A. (Hons) from the University of Colombo, a M.A. from the University of British Columbia, Canada and a Ph.D from the University of Leeds, UK.
Mr Fernando is the Deputy Solicitor at the Attorney-General’s Department. Having joined the Attorney-General’s Department in February 1980 as a State Counsel, he was promoted as Senior State Counsel in 1989. In 1998, he was appointed Deputy Solicitor General. He is a visiting lecturer in International Law at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies and a lecturer in law at the Sri Lanka Law College. He has also lectured at the Open University from 1987 to 2003. He holds a Bachelor of Laws, (LL.B) and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Law from the University of Colombo. He also holds a LL.M in International Commercial Law, from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
Mr Fernando is a State Counsel of the Attorney General’s Department. He was the Legal Counsel to the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) advising the Sri Lanka Government’s negotiating team. He is a consultant to Sea-Chang partners, a think tank and a multinational training consultancy providing strategic assistance, advice, capacity-building, in areas such as negotiation, crises, conflicts and communications and to the Asia pacific Program on Negotiation and Conflict management of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies-Singapore. He holds a LL.M, an Executive MBA and MBA.
Mr Kodagoda is a Senior State Counsel of the Attorney General’s Department, and has functioned as a resource person to many institutions in Sri Lanka on various subjects such as Human Rights, Prevention of Torture, and Drug Control. He is also a visiting lecturer to many institutions such as Police Higher Training Institute, Training Centre for Criminal Investigations, Police Narcotics Bureau, Faculty of Medicine and the BCIS. Yasantha is trained in international dispute resolution mechanisms. He is the Legal advisor to Insurance Board of Sri Lanka. He holds a LL.M (London).
Mr Raheem is the Coordinator of the Peace and Conflict Unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives. He holds a MA in Peace Studies from the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies of the University of Notre Dame and a BSc (Honours) International Relations and History from London School of Economics and Political Sciences. He has conducted research on many areas related to Conflict Resolution such as modes of resolving the issue of High Security Zones in northern Sri Lanka (commissioned by United Nations High Commission for Refugees) and the role of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron in Trust and Verify Journal (Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C.)
Ms Zackariya is a social science researcher cum activist working on issues ranging from conflict, peace building, development and poverty for nearly 30 years. She has founded the Women’s Research and Action Forum and is also known for her work as a core group member of the International Solidarity network - Women Living Under Muslim Laws' with contacts in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. She was also a member of the Sub Committee on Gender Issues in the peace process.
Mr Perera is the Programme Director at Initiative for Political and Conflict Transformation and a visiting lecturer at the Sociology Department of Ruhuna, Matara. He was the Programme Officer at National Peace Council of Sri Lanka. He has followed a course in Conflict Transformation across Cultures programme at the School for International Training, Vermont in USA. He has also completed Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Peace building training Programmes at Henry Institute, Hydrabad, India. He holds an MA (UK) and is an Attorney-at-Law.
Mr Paranavithana is the programme specialist at TCP/USAID Sri Lanka. He is a rubber technologist by profession turned into a management specialist having more than 15 years international work experience in Africa, Asia and Europe. Networking a competitive advantage in conflict resolution will be his contribution to this programme. He obtained a Distinction for his thesis on Social Networking for his MBA.
Mr Hattotuwa is the Strategic Manager of Info-Share, an Information Communications Technology (ICT) initiative created to bridge gaps in communication between the main stakeholders in the Sri Lankan peace process. From 2001 to 2004, he was a Research Associate and the Coordinator of the Media Unit at the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka and has written widely on topics related to media, conflict and technology for peace building. He is also a Fellow of the Center for Information Technology and Dispute Resolution. He holds an Honours Degree in English Literature from the University of Delhi, India.
Mr Ramiah is a Peace and Development Analyst at the United Nations Development Program in Colombo. Previously, Devanand was the Coordinator of the Peace and Conflict Analysis Unit at the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo. He works on issues relating to peace building and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and has also worked with the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Missions in Kosovo and East Timor. Mr Ramiah is a Fulbright scholar and holds a Masters degree in Conflict Transformation from the Eastern Mennonite University, Virginia, USA. He is a member of the faculty for the Conflict Resolution and Peace Preparedness Program of the Bradford University in Sri Lanka and also serves as a resource person to Women in Security and Conflict Management (WISCOMP), New Delhi, to train mid career Indian’s and Pakistani’s in conflict resolution.
top
The Programme 
