Events

Visit to Birken Forest Monastery in July 2011

Dr. R. B. Herath, family (wife, daughter Anoja & granddaughter Chantal) & friends (Bandula & wife and Dharmasiri & family) wit Venerable Ajahn Sona and Sister Mon at the monastery

Visit to Kandy in July 2010

Dr. R. B. Herath & wife offering Atapirikara to The Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera, the Mahanayake of the Malwatta Chapter, Sri Lanka, during their visit to Sri Lanka in July 2010.

Dr. R. B. Herath as a Member of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform , British Columbia , Canada

Dr. Herath was appointed to the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reforms in British Columbia, Canada, in November 2003. The Citizens Assembly consisted of two members from each of the 79 electoral districts in British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Herath joined the Assembly from the electoral district of Surrey-Newton, British Columbia.

By means of the Citizens' Assembly, the government of British Columbia (BC) gave its citizens the power to take control of its electoral reform process and make a final decision, bypassing the BC legislature. This was the first time the citizens were empowered to reshape the electoral governing system of a democracy anywhere in the world. The Citizens' Assembly first studied the different electoral systems used throughout world democracies, held public hearings to listen to British Columbians' views on the subject, and recommended a new electoral system for BC. Later, all British Columbians took part in making a final decision on the recommended new electoral system through a referendum. A second referendum on the subject is due in 2009.

Dr. Herath's new book (2007), Real Power to the People: A Novel Approach to Electoral Reform in British Columbia, describes this unique experiment in democracy that took place in BC, and draws attention to five important lessons to be drawn from this first time application of the new approach to electoral reform and its worldwide applicability. More information about the Citizens' Assembly is available at www.citizensassembly.bc.ca.

Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform in session, 10 January 2004

Dr. R. B. Herath and two other Citizens Assembly Members chatting with the Hon. Jacques Saada, federal Minister responsible for Democratic Reform and Leader of the government in the House of Commons, Canada, and Mr. Matthew Mendelsohn, Deputy Minister for Democratic Renewal representing the government of Ontario, who came to observe the Assembly proceedings on March 20, 2004.

Some participants at the public hearing held on June 5, 2004 at Sechelt, Brtish Columbia

Dr. Herath is seeking further clarification on an electoral reform proposal made by a presenter at the Sechelt public hearing

Dr. Herath is giving a special presentation on the Citizens Assembly at the Surrey City Hall on April 28, 2004. This is one of a series of presentations he made to generate interest among the public on the Citizens Assembly public hearings

Three Members of the Citizens Assembly with the Board of Directors of the Surrey Chamber of Commerce, after Dr. Herath's presentation to the Chambers on April 27, 2004

Dr. Herath opening the Citizens Assembly public hearing at Sheraton Hotel, Guildford, on May 31, 2004

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Sri Lankan Book Promotion Tour - (Click here for more details)

Dates: 5th May - 20th June, 2003

R. B. Herath visited Sri Lanka in early May 2003 on a book promotion tour. He was accompanied by his wife, Hemamali, and youngest daughter, Lucky.

Dr. Herath and wife with The Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera, the Mahanayake of the Malwatta Chapter, Sri Lanka, during their visit to Sri Lanka in 2003

2003 Sinhale-Tamil New Year Celebration

The celebration took place at the Fleetwood Community Centre, Surrey British Columbia, Canada on Saturday, 26 April 2003. The event was organized by the Sri Lankan Friendship Association of British Columbia on Saturday, 26 April 2003.

Dr. Herath giving his speech at the New Year Celebration

Book Launching Ceremony

Some of the newspapers that carried news items/photos on the 15 December 2002 book launching ceremony where R. B. Herath presented his new book, Sri Lankan Ethnic Crisis: Towards a Resolution:

• The Sunday Leader, Sri Lanka (23 February 2003)
• The Island, Sri Lanka (2 January 2003)
• Sri Lankan Reporter, Canada (January 2003 edition, p53)
• The Link Newspaper, Canada (28 December 2002, pA7)
• Indo Canadian Voice, Canada (28 December 2002, p8 & 11)
• The Asian Express, Canada (26 December, 2002, p7)

Group of Sri Lankans belonging to all major ethnic groups in Sri Lanka lighting a traditional oil lamp

Gurmant Grewal, MP for Surrey Central, speaking at the book launching ceremony

Book Reading in Sinhalese in Canadian National Book Fair, 2002

Date: Sunday, 29 September 2002.

R.B. reading from the book of poems he wrote in 1979. The two Buddhist monks who attended the event are seen seated on the front row, Ven. Kumbalgoda Siriniwasa Thero and Ven. Mirisse Dhammika Thero.

For more information email: info@rbherath.com