Why a Dignity Conference

This inaugural gathering is inspired by Mohammed Nadhir (Ned) Dean’s life-long commitment to honour human dignity and his love for Sri Lanka. 

It is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Sithie Tiruchelvam and Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam. A humanitarian and scholar, Dr. Turchelvam was a protector and promoter of human rights, peace, and good government. Founder of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, he was assassinated in 1999. His wife, Sithie Turchelvam and devoted colleagues and friends continued with Dr. Tiruchelvam’s mission, in the very space we will be gathering. As we convene, we will remember Alexander Bain’s words as he delivered his speech at the 2022 Leland Memorial Lectures.

The best and most fitting way to remember Neelan Tiruchelvam , and honour his memory is to reject violence, embrace dialogue, negotiations, and peace so that he and others will not have lived or died in vain.

Twenty-five years after Dr. Tiruchelvam’s death, conference convenor Yasmin Dean shares some of the origins of our July gathering.

My late father, Mohammed Nadhir ‘Ned’ Dean, and some friends were chatting one evening when the idea of a conference about human dignity hosted in Sri Lanka emerged. This conversation animated each of us. It was my dad who reminded me of the life-long work toward peace undertaken by the late Neelan Tiruchelvam and his late wife, my aunt Subhan (Sithie). Their lives as Sri Lankan activists and peacemakers were always complicated because of familial, political, religious, and racial tensions. Despite challenges, the work undertaken by Neelan and Sithie was inspirational.

The passing of my father in March 2020 and the COVID-19 time that followed delayed our efforts. So now, a few years older in a world that is ever more conscious of the need to  honour and protect human rights. Our gathering represents the chance to discuss a future dedicated to peace for all. I hope you will join us in Sri Lanka: July 8-10, 2025. 

Kukwstsétsemc (thank you)

Yasmin Dean (conference organizing team)

Our Invitation to You

Organizers invite you to participate in Re/Awakening Dignity: a Conference for All in Colombo, Sri Lanka July 8-10. 

We commit to working together to create conditions for an international gathering where we contemplate, share, and immerse ourselves in our experiences with dignity. We envision an intimate gathering where participants from all walks of life engage with each other in a variety of ways and settings  — over lunch at a nearby restaurant, during conversations following presentations and keynotes, on walk-and-talks in the neighborhood, or through interpretations of a presenting artist’s conception of dignity.

Our Guiding Questions

Our guiding questions are intentionally broad, with the expectation that participants will build on them.

• How do we experience dignity?

• What do our experiences teach us about the meaning of dignity?

• For all to experience a thriving sense of dignity, what do we need to do individually and collectively? 

We hope our gathering in Colombo will evoke joy, hope, and fresh ideas, against the backdrop of global warming, conflicts and war, and the denial of basic human rights to millions of people worldwide. The International Centre of Ethnic Studies in Colombo will host the conference while playing a vital role in supporting dignity dialogues about inclusive, just, and peaceful societies. 

Who Will Come

We imagine a constellation of participants who will bring their lived experiences, their actions, their ideas, their research, their art. For those who worry this may not be directly related to their area of study, or for those who worry they don’t have a formal role to play at the gathering, we underscore that all are welcome. We look forward to seeing you  July 8-10, 2025, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.