‘Twenty Years of War on Terror and Beyond’
Jointly organized by the KDU and Massey University, New Zealand
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka (KDU) and the Massey University, New Zealand have successfully conducted the second joint webinar for the year 2021, on Wednesday, November 24th titled ‘Twenty Years of War on Terror and Beyond’. The speakers traced the developments in the South Asian region and the world at large after the 9/11 attacks.
Deputy Vice Chancellor – KDU, Brigadier W Chandrasiri RSP USP psc, and Professor Rouben Azizian, Director, Centre for Defence and Security Studies (CDSS), Massey University gave the opening remarks. Dr. Negar Partow, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Defence and Security Studies and Mr. Terrance Johanson, Lecturer, CDSS represented Massey University, New Zealand. Professor Rohan Gunaratna, Honorary Professor, Department of Strategic Studies, Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies (FDSS) and Ms. Sinduja Jayaratne, Lecturer, Department of Strategic Studies represented the KDU delegation. The session was moderated by Dr. Harinda Vidanage, Senior Lecturer / Head, Department of Strategic Studies, KDU.
During the session, Professor Rohan Gunaratna emphasized the negative impacts of religious extremism by using numeral video footages aired before the Easter Sunday attack. He further explained the connection between the Christchurch attack and the Easter Sunday attack while explaining the religious extremism discourse in his presentation.
Deputy Vice Chancellor, KDU – Brigadier W Chandrasiri RSP USP psc, Dean, Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies – Colonel HMGE Herath RSP USP psc, academic staff, military officers from KDU as well as undergraduates and postgraduate students from both universities attended the event.
