For almost all, this trip was their first visit outside the North. Years of conflict and enclosed territories have kept them isolated within areas where destruction is more common than development, where multicultural interaction is limited, and where violence has become a familiar component of every life, both young and old. This trip was thus an eye-opening experience for the children. It was also a deeply moving time for all those who were able to witness their awakening to new potentials.

Each day in their week was carefully planned and generously hosted by various schools throughout Colombo. On Monday, Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya took them on an outing to see rubber and tea estates, which none had seen save through pictures in their textbooks. Their further delight in viewing mountains and waterfalls, unfamiliar vistas in the flat dry lands of the North, emphasized the rigidity of the geographical boundaries Sri Lanka’s war had forced upon them. On Tuesday, they were taken to see the Bandaranaike International Airport by Ave Maria Convent, Negombo. Here, the vastness of the airplanes, the ingenuity of the escalators, and even the mechanics of the seatbelts fascinated their imaginations and thrilled them with a sense of wonder and amazement.

The next day brought more excitement when St. Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia took them on a trip to the Dehiwala Zoo. The journey from their hostels to the zoo saw the children eagerly listing all the animals they were hoping to see. Despite the assurances of their books and teachers, they believed some of these animals were just too absurd to be real. That day thus saw zebras, ostriches, macaws and even elephants come alive, enriching their imaginations and reminding them of the beauty and diversity inherent in our world.

The three days they spent exploring Colombo helped them not only to broaden their perspectives but also to learn about the compassion and acceptance that exists for them in the South. Their most enjoyable interactions grew out of the relationships they formed with other children. Differences that would normally keep adults apart, such as ethnicity and class, seemed to have no effect at all on their desire to get to know one another. Even the language barrier was barely visible as children danced, laughed and played together and enthusiastically shared all they could.

The generosity of the Southern children was very apparent in their warmth of their welcome. Schoolgirls crafted trinkets and prepared lavish meals with their own hands. Boys planned games and various other entertainments for their guests. While the principals had only requested of some children to host the events, entire schools eagerly participated when they learned of the visit.

Each class in Holy Family Convent has thus made a welcome poster for the Jaffna children, and had additionally prepared small gifts of toffees or poems or songs to present. Ave Maria girls ran out to watch their cricket match, and danced with their new friends on the field afterwards hardly interested in who had won or lost. Each parting saw an exchange of phone numbers and addresses as children promised to keep in touch.

The genial interactions of the children were paralleled by the warm hospitability of adults. Schools, corporations and individuals all gave affectionately and generously. There was constant care lavished on the visiting children, with all those involved hoping to anticipate and provide for their every desire in the short time available to them. The most compelling moment came when the children visited the Panagoda Buddhist temple.

Although the large army base next to the temple had been informed of their visit, there was some tension in the air as no one was certain how Northern children and their supervisors would be received. As the children stepped into the temple premises, however, this apprehension quickly cleared as a uniformed young man presented each child with a lotus flower and an affectionate smile.

As the children were guided to the Buddha, they laid this gift at its feet, and momentarily paused to say a prayer. Afterwards, the children were allowed to freely roam about the temple grounds. It became obvious that even the seeming differences in religion that have been use to propel destructive division are delusive.

The children were not suspicious or hostile to this faith, but appreciated it and even embraced it, praying to the Lord Buddha to fulfill their own hopes and dreams. The tired children were later treated to a sumptuous tea by the army personnel. The hosting army general who watched over them was reminded of his own children and spoke to them of how he hoped they could build future relationships based on harmony and compassion.

Interactions like these were later discussed by the children who agreed that the only shortcoming in their visit was the lack of time to strengthen such bonds. Their exposure to the South taught all involved that love and friendliness could surpass what were ultimately meaningless historical divisions. It is unfortunate that political agendas have overtaken the warmhearted tolerance that has long been a prevailing characteristic of the Sri Lankan people. It is even more unfortunate considering the effect that it has had on these innocent lives.

On Thursday, the Jaffna children presented a drama that revealed their perceptions of the war that has engulfed their entire existence. In this drama, everyday troubles such as school exams are swept away by the death and destruction of conflict. The main character, a young mother, is forced to watch her daughter die under shell fire, lose her home to displacement, and finally sacrifice her husband and her pitiable savings to appease the agony of her hungry child.

The violence that has become intertwined with Northern life is apparent in every scene, from the domestic abuse the main character endures at the hands of her husband, to the all too realistic death throes of dying children. It is clear that these are scenes that the children have witnessed in their own lives.

The violence embedded in Northern society is exacerbated by the extreme poverty that many families, especially those headed by single mothers, must grapple with every day. The smiling faces of the children belied the fact that many were intimately familiar with hunger and deprivation. During their visit, they were grateful for the smallest things, even empty used water bottles and sturdy plastic bags. Yet, when they were provided with the opportunity to shop in Colombo on the last day, not a single child bought anything for himself; instead every item was carefully chosen for the loved ones left at home.

What is most cruel, perhaps, is the war’s theft of a young child’s dreams. In one of the last events of the visit, Colombo children partnered with Jaffna children in an activity that expressed each child’s hopes for the future. The ambitions of the children were usually the same – to become doctors, or engineers or accountants. However, there was a heartbreaking disparity between the Northern and Southern children that is a direct result of our country’s war.

The Colombo children can realistically achieve their dreams, while the children from Jaffna, no matter how hard they work, will find it almost impossible since there are no avenues to lead them away from their lives of poverty. Their hopes are thus stunted from the very outset. This is an indisputable consequence of our own decisions as a country, and for this we are fully responsible.

Despite their differences, all the children who participated in the cultural programme conveyed a single wish that provides a grain of hope. Through drama, dance, and song, they showed they do not care about the ethnic, religious and linguistic divisions that adults claim to uphold for the sake of their children. Each item illustrated how children suffer as a consequence of violence and war, and spoke of a yearning for a peaceful future where they can share a country enriched by harmony.

These young lives, although tainted by experiences with conflict and violence, are in our trust. Fulfilling their aspirations must thus become our goal as a nation. This, however, is also our calling as individuals. As one child expressed so tellingly on that last day, "Let there be peace, and let it begin with me."

(Mariyahl Hoole is Research Associate at the National Peace Council)