Inaugural ceremony of the establishment of the "Citizen Science Cell"

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The inaugural ceremony to establish the "Citizen Science Cell" was held on 17th March 2026 under the patronage of the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Krishantha Abeysena. This initiative aims to promote the concept of Citizen Science in Sri Lanka, supported by the Centre for Sustainable Development Reform at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia.

A Milestone for Innovation and Sustainability

Marking a significant milestone in strengthening the relationship between science and society, the Citizen Science Cell is designed to:

Ignite public interest and curiosity toward scientific exploration.
Foster a sense of collective responsibility for innovation and sustainable development.
Utilize the existing VIDATHA Resource Centre network as the primary platform for implementation.

From Grassroots Data to National Impact

In a biodiversity-rich country like Sri Lanka, the establishment of this unit is a vital step in enhancing scientific data collection capabilities from the village level to the national level. Public participation will be harnessed to collect and analyze data in several critical areas:

Environmental conservation and biodiversity monitoring.
Water and air quality testing.
Monitoring Climate Change patterns.

Integration with "Clean Sri Lanka"

In alignment with the "Clean Sri Lanka" program, the Ministry is already using VIDATHA Resource Centres to gather data for technical solutions focused on minimizing plastic usage and mitigating disasters caused by climate change. The new Citizen Science Cell will integrate its data collection and scientific functions into this established framework.

Distinguished Attendees

The event was attended by a large gathering, including:

Mr. Mohamed Nawawi, Secretary to the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Dr. Randika Jayasinghe, an expert from the Centre for Sustainable Development Reform at UNSW (the program's financial sponsor).
Officials from the Ministries of Science & Technology, Environment, and Education.
University representatives providing technical support and VIDATHA officers.