The QYL programme is a new initiative established by the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) and Comic Relief in recognition of the Queen’s lifetime service to the Commonwealth. It recognizes and celebrates exceptional young people aged 18 – 29 from across the Commonwealth, who are taking the lead in their communities and using their skills to transform lives.

The two award winners from Sri Lanka, Thejitha Saubhagya Edirisinghe and Kavindya Thennakoon, aged 26 and 19 years respectively, are among the eight winners from the South Asia region. They have attempted to bring about positive changes in the fields of education, social harmony and integration.

Having seen and experienced the divisions created in the social fabric by Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, Thejitha Saubhagya Edirisinghe sought to encourage future peace. Based on the belief that enabling people to learn and communicate in different languages will break down barriers and rebuild social trust, he set up “Human Wing International”; an organization that recognizes the importance of culture and arts in creating a cohesive community.

Kavindya Thennakoon, the other award winner, had volunteered for organizations throughout her school career. In the conviction that education is key to addressing many social evils, she recently founded “Without Borders”, an organization which aims to tackle the lack of quality education and employment.

Thejitha and Kavindya will be presented awards by Her Majesty the Queen in London next week at the first ever QYL Awards. Along with the other award winners, they will also receive a package of training, mentoring and networking, including a one-week residential programme in the UK from 22nd-27th June 2015, aimed at helping them to continue and develop the initiatives taken in their communities.