29/01/2026
Muslim Community Organizations Convene to Share Disaster Relief Experience and Strategize for Future
COLOMBO, January 26, 2026 – Sri Lanka Jama’athe Islami (SLJI) hosted a symposium titled "Ditwah Disaster Relief: Lessons Learnt and Strategies for Future" on Saturday, January 24th, at the Darul Iman Auditorium in Colombo. The event brought together various Muslim Community Organizations to reflect on the recent relief operations following the Ditwah disaster and to bridge gaps in current disaster management frameworks.
The symposium was chaired by Ash Sheikh Abdur Rahman Naleemi, Deputy President of the Sri Lanka Jama’athe Islami.
Mr. Riza Yehiya, a senior architect and sustainability consultant,
delivered the key-note address titled Understanding Disaster Dynamics in Changing Climate.
Mr. Ubaidullah Hameed, lecturer, National Institute of Social Development, presented his survey findings on the various aspects of post disaster response by community organizations and other actors.
The symposium saw the active participation of a diverse group of humanitarian partners from the Muslim community including All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulama, Nabawiyyah Youth Organization, Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, Salama Society, Muslim Aid Sri Lanka, AMYS, CCI, All Ceylon Union of Muslim League Youth Fronts,
SFRD, Ramya Lanka, Human Care Foundation and Chilaw Muslim Aid,
During the technical session representatives from participating organizations shared presentations detailing their ground-level experiences, challenges faced during the Ditwah operations, and critical recommendations for future interventions.
They emphasised the importance of moving from reactive measures to a Resilience Cycle that prioritises risk literacy, community drills, and early warning systems.
The Symposium also highlighted that effective disaster resilience requires visionary leadership with a long term outlook and consistent on-ground availability.
Need for better data sharing, specialized volunteer training, and a centralized communication hub for non-governmental actors were also pinpointed.
A significant outcome of the symposium was the unanimous decision to establish a Technical Committee to synthesize the various ideas and strategies shared during the event into a formal, comprehensive proposal.
Mr. Z.A.M.Siraj, Public Relations Secretary of the Sri Lanka Jama'athe Islami, proposed a vote of thanks.