March 2023
The core team of co-PIs and research consultants, plus other participants, assembled for a workshop in Colombo, to present papers on the relationship between heritage, memory and conflict in the increasingly fraught setting of post-war Sri Lanka.
After and before the workshop LiVHERE team members conducted further collaborative fieldwork in Sri Lanka, focusing on Sigiriya, Anuradhapura and other efforts to create more inclusive Sri Lanka World Heritage sites.
March 24th - April 2nd
Colombo, Dambulla, Yapahuwa, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa
Participants: Mark, Ed, Hasini and Karu
Colombo
24-25 March - UCL Conference ‘Living with Violent Heritage: contests and coexistence in post-war Sri Lanka’. Convenors included; Mark R. Frost, Darshi Thoradeniya, Nirmal Dewasiri, Hasini Hapunthanthri, and Neluni Tillekeratne.
Yapahuwa and Dambulla
27 March - The team visited archaeological heritage sites in Yapahuwa and Dambulla, including the Dabulla Cave Temple and Golden Temple, to explore themes of heritage and tourism, narratives of Buddhism and Sri Lanka as a hybrid island.
Sigiriya
28 March - Site visits today included the Sigiriya Archaeological Museum, Thalkote tank, Kaludiya Pokuna archaeological site and interviews with local residents in these communities.
Anuradhapura
29-30 March - To further explore the narratives surrounding the idea of Buddhism, the team visited multiple sites around Anuradhapura, including; Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanwelisaya, Elara monument, Wijithapura battlegrounds, Archaeological Museum for Nestorian Cross, Abhayagiriya, the Western Monastries, Mihintale, Kantaka Stupa and the Civil Defense Force monument.
Polonnaruwa
31 March - April 1 - The last two days of the field trip included a cycling tour arounf Polonnaruwa, where the team observed archaeological sites, the New Museum of Ancient Technology and the Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum.
Outputs
Living with Violent Heritage: Contests and co-existence in post-war Sri Lanka, International Workshop held in Colombo, 24-25th March 2023. The programme can be downloaded here.
