Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne

Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne

Abeyrathne at the Commonwealth Women's Ministerial Meeting 2013
Citizenship Sri Lankan
Education LLB
Attorney
Environmental Science
Development Economics
Alma mater Bishop's College
University of London
Sri Lanka Law College
University of Colombo
Occupation Environmentalist, Social Entrepreneur, Lawyer
Known for Growin' Money
Awards Commonwealth Youth Award
SAARC Youth Award
Youth Service America and Huffington Post 25 under 25 List of Most Influential And Powerful Young Persons of the World 2012

Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne also known as Anoka Abeyratne is an award winning Sri Lankan eco-social entrepreneur,[1] environmentalist and youth activist on sustainable development and entrepreneurial issues in Sri Lanka and Asia.

Abeyratne presented the Keynote speech of the Youth Leaders Forum, Commonwealth Asia Region Youth Ministers Meeting 2015 [2] and is the first Sri Lankan to be elected to represent the Asia-Pacific region to the global UN Habitat Youth Advisory Board [3] in October 2015 and to the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network Leadership Team as the Steering Committee member for Policy & Advocacy in June 2016.[4] Anoka is the co-organizer of TEDxKandy,[5] an independent TED-like event curated for "Ideas Worth Spreading".

Early life

Abeyrathne at a press conference on environmental protection

Abeyrathne born to a businessman and a biologist in Sri Lanka during the Sri Lankan Civil War, completed her education in Biology at Bishop's College serving as the president of the United Nations Club, the Red Cross Society, secretary of the Environmental Society, as a Girl guide and a gold medal receiving athlete, swimmer and pianist.[6] She graduated with a LLB from the University of London and a Master's degree from the University of Colombo.[6]

Notable family members include the Father of Free education in Sri Lanka - C. W. W. Kannangara, Sri Lanka's first female diplomat - Manel Abeysekera and United Nations Human Rights awardee - Sunila Abeysekera.

Activism and Work

Early Activism

Abeyrathne at a campaign

Abeyrathne started volunteering at the age of 13 when the 2004 Tsunami struck and has replanted over 40,000 Mangroves in South Asia by providing over 5000 families the opportunity to gain in income source through designer handicraft making, organic farming, eco-tourism, innovation labs and creating equal access to education through soft skills and IT skills training.[7]

Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Kamlesh Sharma presented Abeyrathne with a Commonwealth Youth Award in March 2013.[8]

Abeyrathne with
Queen Elizabeth II

Recognized by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)[9][10] and by Youth Service America as one of the 25 Most Influential and Powerful Young Persons of the World 2012,[11][12] Abeyrathne is featured in Sri Lanka's first digital environmental music video.[13]

Abeyrathne at a WEF event

As the youngest founding Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum[14] Colombo Hub established in 2012 in Sri Lanka, she served as one of the 12 Shapers on the United Nations - World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Council working towards mainstreaming sustainability and is the only female Shaper Sri Lankan New Champion of the World Economic Forum.[15]

Continuing Activism

Abeyrathne continues her passion for eco-entrepreneurship while engaging as a sustainable development advocate. Being the youngest panelist on Sri Lanka's first Social Innovation Forum[16] and the Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministerial Meeting,[17] Abeyrathne is a founding member of the Commonwealth Gender and Equality Network and a drafter of the first Commonwealth Gender Agenda, working towards linking gender, education, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

She is the co-organizer of TEDxKandy, an independent TED-like event curated for "Ideas Worth Spreading" and presented the Keynote speech of the Youth Leaders Forum, Commonwealth Asia Region Youth Ministers Meeting 2015 [2] and is the first Sri Lankan to be elected to represent the Asia-Pacific region to the UN Habitat Youth Advisory Board [3] 2015/2017.

Abeyrathne has been featured by the United Nations Environmental Programme,[18] the UNICEF,[19] The Guardian[20] TEDx,[21] UNFPA,[22] Echelon Magazine,[23] UNDP[24][25] and Huffington Post.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "http://archives.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2013/04/19/news40.asp". Retrieved 28 August 2013. External link in |title= (help) Sri Lankan eco-social entrepreneur
  2. 1 2 (http://www.hydrant.co.uk), Site designed and built by Hydrant. "Spotlight on young people at ministerial meeting in New Delhi | The Commonwealth". thecommonwealth.org. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
  3. 1 2 "Young people of the world elect a new UN-Habitat Youth Advisory Board – UN-Habitat". unhabitat.org. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ "Organizing Committee -". Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  6. 1 2 Migara Wijesinghe (2014-08-28). "Anoka". Life.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
  7. ↑ Today, Ceylon. "Growing mangroves harvesting opportunities". Ceylon Today. Ceylon Today. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Sri Lanka : Young Sri Lankan development worker wins Commonwealth Youth Award". Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  9. ↑ South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC Youth Award
  10. ↑ "South Asian Association For Regional Cooperation | Area of Cooperation". Saarc-sec.org. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "The YSA List: Honoring The 25 Most Powerful and Influential Young People | YSA – Engage and Educate". Ysa.org. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne: Eco-Entrepreneurship, Music Videos and a World of Change!". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "Make It Green Again Official Music Video [HD]". YouTube. 27 February 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "Celebrating the work of Our Shapers: Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne | World Economic Forum". Global Shapers. 2014-03-25. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
  15. ↑ "How sustainability can transform the Indian subcontinent - Agenda - The World Economic Forum". Agenda.weforum.org. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
  16. ↑ Social Innovation Forum
  17. ↑ Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministerial Meeting
  18. ↑ "Actions – ROAP". Unep.org. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  19. ↑ "UNICEF India – Media centre – "Seal the Deal!" to Heal the Planet". Unicef.org. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  20. ↑ Joe Jervis. "Live Q&A: Women and social enterprise, Friday 20 July, 12-2pm BST". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  21. ↑ "TEDx Talk". YouTube. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  22. ↑ UNFPA Investing in Youth http://www.unfpa.org/news/investing-youth-pays-dividends-evidence-sri-lanka-shows
  23. ↑ Echelon Magazine
  24. ↑ ""Creativating" Sri Lanka". UNDP in Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  25. ↑ ""Creativating" Sri Lanka". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
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