The January 17, 2024 episode of the “Hathweni Peya” program of the Independent Television Network (ITN) televised the Certificate Programme on “Non-violent Communication and Responsible Use of Media” (NVCM) offered by the Department of Social Sciences at the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences, and Humanities (FMSH) of the General Sir John Kotelawela Defence University (KDU).

Dr. Lakshika Liyanage, the Dean of the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences, and Humanities of KDU, and Dr. Darshana Ashoka Kumara, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences at the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences, and Humanities of KDU, were the featured experts on the program.

Dr. Darshana Ashoka Kumara highlighted the main objective of the program, emphasizing that the combination of non-violent communication and responsible use of media enables individuals to contribute to creating a more empathetic, informed, and respectful society, both offline and online. He explained that NVCM skills are crucial for critically analyzing media content, taking into account the feelings and needs of those involved. This skill set is applicable not only to mass media or social media content but also to day-to-day life. Furthermore, it was pointed out that this is the only program in Sri Lanka under the theme of NVCM, complying with national and international quality frameworks, and equipped with a well-qualified lecture panel from both academia and industry.

Dr. Lakshika Liyanage, Dean of FMSH-KDU, emphasized the significance of KDU as the first-choice University for higher education. She further explained the full-time and weekend degree programs offered by the Faculty, highlighting their significant content compared to other universities in the higher education sector in Sri Lanka.

For the third time, the Department of Social Sciences is offering the Certificate Programme on NVCM allowing the participants to obtain a theoretical and practical understanding of the true meaning of NVCM. Accordingly, the course for the year 2024 is scheduled to commence on January 28, 2024 and run for a duration of three months.