BCIS, in its function of being one of Sri Lanka’s premier educators, treats the accumulation and expansion of knowledge with the same importance, as that of its dissemination.
This research project is an initiative of Her Excellency President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Chairperson of the BCIS. The BCIS has invited Prof. Uyangoda, Senior Professor of Political Science and a member of the BCIS’ Academic Board to lead this project.
The core objective of this initiative is to construct a corpus of critical and reflective knowledge on Sri Lanka’s and South Asian experience of democracy since independence. The project proposal covers six thematic areas and 28 chapters. The BCIS expects to publish the chapters in two volumes after a review process of the chapters.
Lakshman Kadirgamar (1932-2005), international lawyer, statesman and foreign minister of Sri Lanka made an outstanding contribution to a range of issues in politics and international relations. An alumnus of Trinity College, Kandy, the University of Ceylon, Ceylon Law College and the University of Oxford, Kadirgamar served as foreign minister in the governments of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga during the period 1994-2001 and later from April 2004 to August 2005.
During his career as Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar laboured to deepen relations with a number of countries that were of importance to Sri Lanka. He was particularly keen to strengthen the cordial relations Sri Lanka shared with her South Asian neighbours. A man of wide interests, Kadirgamar took a keen interest in music, theatre and the arts. He would often say that Sri Lanka had much to offer the world besides, “tea, tourism and terrorism” and was always ready to lend a helping hand to literary causes.
As Chairman of the Council of Management of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) from 2002-2005, Kadirgamar breathed new life into the institution. He forged links with similar organisations in South Asia and founded International Relations in a Globalizing World, the journal of the BCIS.
With the establishment of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Research Award (2021), the BCIS seeks to celebrate Kadirgamar’s commitment to the promotion of global peace, understanding and solidarity among nations and peoples.
The Objective of the Research Award
The primary objective of this award is to support policy advocacy by fostering new knowledge and fresh insights into contemporary issues in international relations that mesh with the core goals of the BCIS: Re- thinking and re-conceptualizing international security imperatives, multilateralism in South Asia and the policies of non-alignment.
The recommended areas of research for the award are:
The research paper based on the above traditional and non-traditional security issues should ultimately help to strengthen regional political stability and socio-economic cooperation.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants should be between 25 and 35 years of age. All applicants must include a copy of his/her curriculum vitaeand a research proposal which must:
Research proposals that offer fresh insights related to the themes detailed above will be considered for the award.
One research award of nine-months duration will be awarded annually. At this pilot stage of the award programme, applications from only Sri Lankan nationals will be considered.
Submission of Research Proposals
Submission of the Research Paper