Army War College Hosts First-Ever Seminar on Extremism

The Army War College (AWC), Sri Lanka’s premier institution for higher military education, successfully conducted its first-ever Seminar on Extremism on 08 November 2025. This landmark event, initiated under the visionary leadership of the Commandant, Major General PS Subath Sanjeewa RSP nps psc, marks a significant milestone in the College’s continued endeavour to understand, anticipate, and effectively address the complex and evolving threats posed by extremism in all its forms.

The seminar provided a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing, discussion, and debate on strategies to prevent and counter violent extremism by leveraging lessons learnt and harnessing available resources. It aimed to enhance the professional knowledge and strategic awareness of Student Officers regarding emerging security vulnerabilities and the global manifestations of extremism.

A total of 151 Student Officers from Senior Command Course 15, Junior Command Course 34, and Junior Staff Course 30 participated, alongside Student Officers from Friendly Foreign Nations (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, and Pakistan) and officers representing the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force. The Commandant, Chief Instructor, members of the Faculty, and the Permanent Staff also participated in the event.

The distinguished panel of guest speakers included Dr. George Cooke, who delivered an insightful address on “Eradicating Extremism: Lessons Learnt and Comprehensive Approaches to Elimination”; Ms. Nadiya Nasoordeen, who discussed “The Role of Soft Power Tools in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism”; and Mr. Indika Perera, who shared his expertise on “De-radicalisation of Violent Movements, Extremism, and Emerging Technology.” The sessions were followed by interactive Question and Answer forums, encouraging thoughtful engagement and exchange of ideas.

Having emphasized the importance of education, collaboration, and proactive strategic leadership in tackling this multidimensional challenge, Major General PS Subath Sanjeewa, Commandant, Army War College, shared invaluable insights on identifying the root causes of extremism and adopting integrated, whole-of-society approaches to counter it, while delivering is brief address.

At the conclusion of the seminar, the Commandant expressed his deep appreciation to the Guest Speakers for their insightful contributions and presented tokens of appreciation in recognition of their efforts.

The event concluded with Concluding Remarks delivered by Colonel DPASA Witharana psc, Chief Instructor, Army War College, who commended the initiative and underlined the necessity of collective understanding, cooperation, and knowledge sharing in countering extremism effectively.

The Seminar 2025 on Extremism stands as a milestone achievement for the Army War College, reaffirming its commitment to fostering strategic thinking, professional excellence, and collaborative leadership in addressing the complex security challenges of the modern world.