Are you a young researcher between the ages of 20 and 35? Are you interested and committed to linking your research with advocacy and activism?

The Young Researchers’ Collective, Sri Lanka (the YRC) is an initiative working to develop and equip the next generation of research activists and public intellectuals in Sri Lanka. It functions as a space and an opportunity for young people interested in linking research with action that can substantially transform the lives and realities of our communities.

It is with great pleasure we announce the first Young Researchers’ Forum (the YRF) which will be held in January 2012 under the theme “Youth Voices in Post-War Sri Lanka: Challenges, Aspirations & Opportunities for Transformation.” The YRF will be the first gathering organized to solely highlight the work being done by young researchers around the country who are taking action on issues that are important to them and their communities.

The aim of the YRF is to highlight research being done by young people on the roles, concerns and complexities that are shaping their lives and the realities of their communities. It also hopes to contribute to the ongoing discussions regarding the formulation of a national youth policy in Sri Lanka.

We are looking for short, concise papers that are essentially think pieces that present ideas and discuss solutions to Sri Lanka’s current situation. These papers will also contribute to the ongoing discussions on the formulation of a national youth policy in Sri Lanka.