Rotary launches project to stimulate young minds to adopt strong values

Launch of Little Minds Strong Values DVD

• Launches 29 Sinhala and Tamil video animated children’s songs
• Long-term sustainable project to build a better future generation
• Songs to be broadcasted regularly
• Songs will be available free to play and download
• Annual islandwide competition to be launched with prizes worth Rs. 500,000

By Ruwandi Gamage

Attempting to reverse the distressing trend of a decline in values and ethical standards that are seen in Sri Lanka presently, the Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan launched its collection of 29 video animated children’s songs titled ‘Little minds strong values’, last week at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute.

Prof. Neluka Silva

Rukshan Perera

Sangeetha Weeraratne

This is a long-term sustainable project with the objective to build the foundation for a good mannered, civic-minded and decent future generation for Sri Lanka, spearheaded by its Immediate Past President (IPP) Rukshan Perera, a well-known music composer and singer. After conceptualising this project a year ago, the IPP has composed and directed 29 Sinhala and Tamil songs in this collection. 

“The goal behind this unique project is to inculcate values and ethics in children, in order to stimulate their growing minds, to pave the way for a better society and a next generation of adults that are humble, honest and empathetic human beings,” Perera explained.

Complete with 19 Sinhala songs and 10 Tamil songs, there are more than 30 values embedded in them such as honesty, unity and respect as well as classic Sri Lankan idioms teaching empathy, honesty and wisdom. 

The hope is to give these songs the platform to be constantly heard through television or radio and Rotary is working towards disseminating the songs to all the children in Sri Lanka through regular air times. 

“Creating these songs was phase one and phase two is dissemination and distribution of these songs countrywide. With the distribution of DVDs and USBs, promotion on YouTube and broadcasting on TV/radio, we target one million children to sing these songs within the next three years, stimulating young minds to adopt strong values as a way of life,” Perera stated.

The IPP further explained that a link to play or download the songs will be up on their website, so that anyone would be able to obtain them free of charge. Rotary is also in the process of designing a mobile application to further publicise these songs among children.

Phase three of this project is an islandwide annual ethics and values competition with Rs. 500,000 worth of prizes for the winners, to encourage the schools to use these songs to inculcate ethics and values in children. 

The Rotary is hoping that by the number of DVDs and USBs distributed and by the number of schools participating in the competition, they will be able to measure the success of this project. Rotary is also hoping to gain support from the Government for this project in the long run.

Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan President Prof. Neluka Silva, Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan Foundation Chairman Daminda Dharmasena, Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan Community Service Chairman Michael Perera, Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan Incoming President Jehan Ismail, Rotary Club of Colombo Metropolitan Secretary Ruwan Gunasena and Award winning Sri Lankan actress Sangeetha Weeraratne were some of the dignitaries present at the event.

Pix by Upul Abayasekara