To know Prasanna meant to know an extremely generous person
I met Prasanna for the first time at the end of 2009 in Sri Lanka. This was late in his life, and I am not among those who have known him for a long time. Nevertheless this meeting opened up for a close cooperation of great importance to our work and a friendship that has meant much to me. When we met I was about to organize regional workshops with children and young people on conflict management and peace building in Asia, Africa, South East Europe and Latin America. When Prasanna heard about this, he immediately proposed to make visual documentation. And so he did. He joined our group and documented the four workshops, in Kathmandu, Sarajevo, Kampala and Guatemala. Each of them included around 40 children and young people and their accompanying adults.
Prasanna’s professionality as a cinematographer was evident from the very beginning. He filmed what was happening without disturbing the activities. He showed a deep respect for all; he made contact with the participants and valued them as individuals - and their activities. He also showed them his cameras and equipment and used this as an opportunity for them to learn about and experience photographing. He filmed interviews with participants and took innumerable photos. Ha was always professional and respectful, friendly and encouraging. - The results of this work are four regional documentaries and one that is an overall view the four workshops; as well as a lot of photos.
When we organized a global workshop in Oslo in 2012, Prasanna again joined us to make another documentary, interviews with the participants and a lot of photos. The same year we organized a visit to New York with young people from the four regions. We wanted to give them the opportunity to present their concerns in armed conflict and their experiences and successes of peace building. They also showed their proposals and the support they needed from adults, which they also addressed to the UN Security Council. This was done in a meeting with representatives from UN agencies and international NGOs.
Prasanna had prepared a video to introduce the meeting. This presents the overwhelming destruction of war and children and young people’s strong wishes for peace – and their readiness to take part in creating that. - Because Prasanna could not leave Sri Lanka at that time, Margaret, his wife, made the documentary of the event.
Prasanna also produced a documentary from Gulu, Northern Uganda, called Moving on – Surviving Lord Resistance Army. This shows how young people, who had been abducted by the LRA, had able to continue their lives after escaping. One of our colleagues in Uganda says:
He added greatly to how the rest of the world got to know about Uganda, particularly about the experiences of the children and young people in Northern Uganda. His passing on is a loss. Our publications from this work are all illustrated by Prasanna’s expressive and excellent photos; and all the videos are available on YouTube.
To know Prasanna meant to know an extremely generous person, who loved sharing articles and books – also cook books; music; photos and videos - and also his knowledge and thoughts. He opened up new perspectives; he was a dedicated and an amazing person who enriched our lives. And … all his efforts have contributed to a better world, as another of our colleagues says.
I am deeply grateful for having met Prasanna, worked with him and been one of his many friends.
Thank you!
Annette Giertsen
At Prasanna Ratnayake’s funeral 23rd of July 2017
Prasanna’s professionality as a cinematographer was evident from the very beginning. He filmed what was happening without disturbing the activities. He showed a deep respect for all; he made contact with the participants and valued them as individuals - and their activities. He also showed them his cameras and equipment and used this as an opportunity for them to learn about and experience photographing. He filmed interviews with participants and took innumerable photos. Ha was always professional and respectful, friendly and encouraging. - The results of this work are four regional documentaries and one that is an overall view the four workshops; as well as a lot of photos.
When we organized a global workshop in Oslo in 2012, Prasanna again joined us to make another documentary, interviews with the participants and a lot of photos. The same year we organized a visit to New York with young people from the four regions. We wanted to give them the opportunity to present their concerns in armed conflict and their experiences and successes of peace building. They also showed their proposals and the support they needed from adults, which they also addressed to the UN Security Council. This was done in a meeting with representatives from UN agencies and international NGOs.
Prasanna had prepared a video to introduce the meeting. This presents the overwhelming destruction of war and children and young people’s strong wishes for peace – and their readiness to take part in creating that. - Because Prasanna could not leave Sri Lanka at that time, Margaret, his wife, made the documentary of the event.
Prasanna also produced a documentary from Gulu, Northern Uganda, called Moving on – Surviving Lord Resistance Army. This shows how young people, who had been abducted by the LRA, had able to continue their lives after escaping. One of our colleagues in Uganda says:
He added greatly to how the rest of the world got to know about Uganda, particularly about the experiences of the children and young people in Northern Uganda. His passing on is a loss. Our publications from this work are all illustrated by Prasanna’s expressive and excellent photos; and all the videos are available on YouTube.
To know Prasanna meant to know an extremely generous person, who loved sharing articles and books – also cook books; music; photos and videos - and also his knowledge and thoughts. He opened up new perspectives; he was a dedicated and an amazing person who enriched our lives. And … all his efforts have contributed to a better world, as another of our colleagues says.
I am deeply grateful for having met Prasanna, worked with him and been one of his many friends.
Thank you!
Annette Giertsen
At Prasanna Ratnayake’s funeral 23rd of July 2017
Comments
Post a Comment