International Conference on Equity and Diversity 2026 Successfully Concludes at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura

The International Conference on Equity and Diversity (ICED) 2026 was successfully held on 22 July 2026 at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura under the inspiring theme, Breaking Walls, Building Futures. The conference was jointly organized by the Equal Opportunity Cell and the International Center for Multidisciplinary Studies (ICMS) of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The International Center for Multidisciplinary Studies has successfully secured the SSSNE grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), to partially cover the costs of the conference.

The conference commenced with an inaugural ceremony held at the Senate Boardroom of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, with Senior Professor Pathmalal M. Manage, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest; Senior Professor Shirantha Heenkenda, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS), as the Guest of Honour; and Dr. Samanthika Lokugamage, a member of the International Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies (ICMS) and the Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC), serving as the Conference Chair.

The conference featured a plenary session with an esteemed panel of experts representing the fields of disability inclusion, psychology, gender studies, education, entrepreneurship, and accessibility. The panel included Dr. Sudath Damsinghe, Founder of Daddys Lanka Autism Centre; Dr. Suleesha Perera, Director of the ISU Counselling and Activity School and Mind Tales Foundation; Dr. Senel Wanniarachchi, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford and Co-founder of Hashtag Generation; Ms. Kanchana Priyakantha, Co-founder and CEO of KBOOKS and KReader; Mr. Tikiri Kumara Jayawardhana, Disability and Inclusion Consultant and Member of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities; and Mr. Ashoka Weerawardhana, President of the Disability Organizations Joint Front and the Sri Lanka Council for the Blind.

The conference facilitated both physical and virtual sessions, enabling researchers, academics, practitioners, and students from Sri Lanka and abroad to share knowledge and engage in meaningful discussions.

ICED 2026 provided an important multidisciplinary platform for advancing dialogue on equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion while fostering collaboration among researchers, professionals, policymakers, and advocates. The successful conclusion of the conference strengthened the commitment of the International Center for Multidisciplinary Studies (ICMS) and the Equal Opportunity Cell of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences to advancing inclusive research, fostering innovation, and contributing towards sustainable and equitable social development.