Deepika to receive Gusi Peace Prize next week
Nov 19 2012.
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Visharada Deepika Priyadarshani Peiris will receive the Gusi International Peace Prize in Manila on November 28 at the Philippine International Convention Centre in Manila, for her song ‘Saroja.’
She will be among 20 others who will be receiving the award recognizing individuals working towards the attainment of peace, respect for human life and dignity. Saroja was penned by Mahinda Chandrasekara and set to tune by Rohana Weerasinghe.
The Gusi Peace Prize Foundation confirmed the distinguished honour for her contributions to peace-building through performing arts (music) and humanitarianism.
Among the among the other peace prize laureates for 2012 are Zambia’s founding President Kenneth Kaunda, Ugandan Chief Justice Benjamin Joses Odoki, Iraqi artist Naseer Shamma, Ricardoe Di Done of Canada, Bertrand de Speville of Britain and others.
Deepika is undoubtedly the most outstanding female vocalist to illuminate the Sri Lankan musical firmament in the past three decades.
Deepika told Impulse that this award made her reminisce her childhood involving Daham Pasal (Sunday school) education, the social service commitments and later on the cruelty of the war in the country.
“Though I was not born and bred in the village, I have seen and heard the pains of the people who were affected by the war. I always wanted to see a country where all people could live in harmony. From our Daham Pasal days we were moulded into beings who were sensitive to the feelings of others. My father worked for the State Engineering Corporation and most of his colleagues were Tamils and Muslims. I remember the first flight in my life and that was to Jaffna to visit one of my father’s Tamil friends. We visited them regularly and they came to see us when they were in Colombo. When those families faced difficulties there due to terrorist issues, my father gave them accommodation in our three storied house. I remember a Tamil family lived on the topmost floor while a Muslim family lived in the second floor. We associated with them very closely and we were sensitive to their problems, “ she said.
“Even during the 1983 riots, my father saved the lives of several Tamil families he knew. In 1990 I sang a peace song for the ABU Golden Kite award. The song ‘Mihi Mandale Maldam Gothala’ was penned by Dharmasiri Gamage. Saroja was made in the mid nineties and the song that pushed for peace and harmony and among the two main communities is being recognized after more than 15 years. I feel delighted and I am grateful to all who had been associated with song in every aspect ranging from the lyricist Mahinda Chandrasekara, melody maker Rohana Weerasinghe, Visual Director Upali Ariyasiri, Sound engineer Dayananda Perera, Translator W. A. Abeysinghe, visual cameraman Vajira Perera, editor Ranjith Walisundara, recorder Ishantha Shamal, Lighting Somarathna Perera and others,” she said.
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