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Colombo, Sri Lanka – Aug. 18, 2025 – The Young South Asian Leaders Initiative (YSALI) successfully launched its first workshop in Sri Lanka, convening emerging leaders from across the region alongside distinguished officials and experts for an inspiring three-day program of training, dialogue, collaboration, and networking. Nearly 90 participants gathered in Colombo from the following YSALI countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Alumni from other U.S. Department of State youth programs across Southeast Asia and the Pacific also provided leadership for the event.

The University of Nebraska at 51ÉçÇø’s (UNO) Center for Afghanistan and Regional Studies, in collaboration with the East-West Center, organized the first of five workshops that will be held over the next year and a half. The event was conducted with the strong support of a local partner, the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), a leading Sri Lankan think tank. The YSALI program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

Building on the success of other State Department youth initiatives, YSALI enhances the leadership capabilities of youth in South Asia and strengthens ties between the United States and the region. The initiative empowers young leaders in the areas of civic participation, entrepreneurship, and natural resources. Through YSALI the United States is building lasting networks and cultivating future partners and advocates for American businesses and shared interests.

Welcoming Workshop Participants

The welcome event, held on Aug. 18 in Colombo, was honored by keynote remarks from U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, and a welcome address by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Press and Public Diplomacy, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Shelly Seaver. Also present was Sri Lankan Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Gamage. Ambassador Chung commended the participants for their leadership in mobilizing communities, sparking innovation, and tackling complex problems with energy, vision, and passion. She underscored that YSALI is more than a platform—it is a network of people who take the initiative to create change in difficult circumstances, turning ideas into action.

About the Workshop

The workshop featured a diverse set of components, including an expert panel and roundtable discussions, peer leadership and reflection circles, site visits, breakout sessions, innovative micro-discovery workshops, an expo, and a culture night of celebration.

Participants described the experience as transformative, highlighting both the professional and personal connections formed. “The connections I have made and the lifelong relations I have built with leaders from South Asia will be most useful for my future,” one participant shared. Another reflected, “This workshop expanded my understanding of civic issues and my mindset as a future leader. Hearing from participants across different countries was eye-opening and showed how the same challenge can look very different across gender, communities, and nations.”

In addition to the in-person regional workshop, participants are enrolled in an online course that includes both pre- and post-workshop programming. Each participant will develop and implement an action plan in their local community in the months following the workshop, with opportunities to apply for small grants to support these initiatives.

Participant Reflections

Additional reflections highlighted YSALI’s core values of collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, and community service:

"Meeting and engaging with changemakers broadens my perspective to work in collaboration with various stakeholders and make a better impact."

"The peer leadership circle stories helped me connect other participants who are like minded and are on their way to resolve a community issue like I am contributing to mine."

"Every. Single. Thing. Every part of the workshop was so well thought out, planned and executed by the most energetic team and I plan on using all of what we've learnt in these exhilarating few days that we had."