The war is now over and the people of Sri Lanka are grateful to you for your contribution towards the country’s victory.

　The government should now look at the post war scenario and formulate a development strategy for the City of Colombo.

　The best and prime property in the Business District is occupied by the Armed Forces; this perhaps is a legacy from Colonial times when Colombo was a garrison city at the same time being the principal port and administrative centre.

　The time is now right for us to move on, and as you have the unique position as chairman of the UDA and Defence Secretary, it is possible for you to address the situation and make these important changes. Around 500 acres of prime land are occupied by the Armed forces with the country’s five star city hotels, banks and commercial buildings clustered in the same area.

　A few years ago an attempt was made by the UDA; the required land was acquired in Kotte for this purpose and preliminary plans were drawn by each of the selected consultants for each Service. Four architectural practices were selected to prepare plans for the relocation of the Army, Navy, Air force and Police. Unfortunately, due to the escalation of hostilities the projects were delayed and subsequently abandoned.

　The time is opportune for change. Sri Lanka is marketing itself as a premier tourist destination, but faces a shortage of hotel rooms in the city together with urban recreational spaces and common areas.

　It is also important to show the world that the city is free of appearances of war and that a new era of peace has dawned, replacing the tensions of the past and that Colombo will soon become a desirable capitol city to work in and visit.

　This relocation will open up prime property in the heart of the city and also the sea front, and provide much needed land for expansion of the existing hotel, the construction of new hotels, office and financial buildings and setting up recreational facilities. Prime property will bring prime prices.

　The process will have to be phased out with a Master plan identifying these areas and the sale of these plots of land can cross subsidise the expenditure of relocating the armed forces.

　Ideally, the armed forces can be decentralised and housed in their own cantonment. The Navy can have its headquarters in Trincomalee/ Hambantota, the Army in strategic positions in and around the country. The Ministry of Defence and the Police headquarters could be moved to Sri Jayewardenepura where the land has been acquired by the UDA. The Air force can be located in Katunayake.

　This will certainly give the construction industry the kick start it desperately needs and also would help beautify the city and restore Colombo to its former glory as the Garden City of the East.

　There is also a lot of land elsewhere that is occupied by the armed forces that could be released for civilian use, now that the conflict is over. For example the premises leased to the Ceylon Sea Anglers Club in Trinco which was taken over a couple of years back. There is also land under HSZ which could also be released for more productive use.

　A commitment to human rights for all people around the world was a founding principle of The Carter Center. These include civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights  and freedoms enumerated in the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The Center's Human Rights Program undertakes a range of activities to strengthen such rights as the bedrock of peaceful and just societies.  
 
Supporting Human Rights Defenders

　Courageous and effective activists for the rights of others often face great risks in countries where basic human rights are still ignored.  These unsung heroes from countries worldwide gather annually at the Human Rights Defenders Policy Forum at The Carter Center to discuss national and global issues affecting the enjoyment of human rights, such as the state of U.S. commitments to human rights and the impact of the war on terror. Discussions are led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
　In addition, for more than 20 years, President and Mrs. Carter have personally supported thousands of human rights defenders by appealing through letters or in private meetings to heads of state on behalf of those who are persecuted for their courageous work.

Strengthening International Human Rights Systems

　President Carter was a strong proponent for establishing the post of High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations, and the Center has worked closely with each of the high commissioners. In 2006, President Carter and other Nobel Peace Prize laureates were instrumental in reforming the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, now the U.N. Human Rights Council. The Center also has endorsed the work of the International Criminal Court and voiced concerns about torture and other critical human rights issues.
　On Feb. 16, 2010, The Carter Center and the Brookings Institution's Managing Global Insecurity Initiative convened human rights advocates and experts from Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States to evaluate the impact of the U.N.'s human rights system on their work.

Advancing Human Rights at the Grass Roots 
　An important corollary to global issues in human rights is the program's work to help nations meet specific human rights standards and support citizens who monitor and advance human rights at the ground level. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Center's Human Rights House provides training and networking resources to local human rights groups and, at the invitation of the Congolese government, assisted a review of the fairness of national mining contracts in this poverty stricken, but mineral-rich nation. The Center also has opened offices in Israel and the Palestinian Territories to monitor and report on human rights abuses

　Problem----We are all personally responsible for releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for transportation (driving and flying) and home energy (electricity, heating, and cooling). This leads to global warming, which is destroying Earth's biodiversity and native ecosystems.

Solutions

1.Reduce your use of fossil fuels
2. Protect native forests as "carbon storehouses"
3. Help plant native trees in urban and deforested areas
4. Volunteer for NWP
5. Donate to NWP. Based on NWP total program costs and conservation project accomplishments since 1999, every $10 donation allows us to sponsor one Apprentice Ecologist and plant 3.1 native trees.

Benefits of planting native trees

1.They help stop global warming by reducing greenhouse gases
2. They reduce soil erosion and water pollution
3. They provide habitat for native wildlife (including songbirds)
4. They improve human health by producing oxygen and improving air quality
5. They reduce home energy needs by providing shade in summer and a windbreak in winter

Facts about the benefits provided by planting one tree

1.Absorbs over a ton of harmful greenhouse gases over its lifetime (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
2. Produces enough oxygen for four people every day (Tree Canada Foundation)
3. Provides the equivalent cooling effect of ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
4. Provides an estimated $273 of environmental benefits in every year of its life (American Forests)

　We work directly with youth volunteers, including those who are at-risk and disadvantaged, throughout North America and Africa and can help you be part of the solution to global warming. We award a $500 educational scholarship each year to the winner of our Apprentice Ecologist Awards.

　Officially recognized by the U.S. EPA, the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™, our youth-based volunteer program, allows us to plant native trees at a size where they can quickly mature into large adult trees and become part of the native forested landscape. We have had great success in engaging youth volunteers (from large urban areas to small rural villages) in these tree-planting projects, which helps us keep costs to an absolute minimum. Native trees planted in North America and Africa only a few years ago are now over 7 meters (23 feet) tall!
Because we rely exclusively on youth volunteers for the labor of planting and tending the trees, we are able to establish native trees with minimal associated costs. We provide mentoring, support, and supplies for youth volunteers, who then write an essay about their project (Project Examples: Accra-Ghana, Embangweni-Malawi and Oklahoma-USA). Your donation will both help stop global warming and help build future conservation leaders!

Where does your donation go?

　For each $10 donation, you can provide mentorship and support for one youth volunteer. That means that just $100 can impact the lives of 10 young people, the environment, and our world.

　The National Charities Information Bureau advises maintaining a charity’s administrative expenses at no more than 40%. Since our inception in 2000, all administrative functions have been performed on an entirely unpaid basis and we have applied >95% of your donations toward program services.

1.You can make a difference to youth. We work with youth volunteers, including those who are at-risk and disadvantaged, to help them build leadership skills and gain empowerment to make a difference in their communities and in the world. We award a $500 educational scholarship each year to the winner of our Apprentice Ecologist Awards.
2. You can make a difference in youth education. Kids and teens are eager to help save the environment but they need mentorship, supplies, and support that only your donation can provide.
3.You can make a difference to our environment. Our programs facilitate youth development and result in a cleaner and safer environment for wildlife and for the health and enjoyment of future generations.
4. You can make a difference to our world that will last for generations. NWP exceeds the criteria for a Charity Navigator Four Star Rating (top rating) developed for large national nonprofit organizations. When you give to NWP, you can be assured that you are giving wisely to an environmental charity that is committed to making your donation directly benefit youth, wildlife, and our environment.
5. You can make a difference every day by reducing the environmental costs of plastic and paper bags. Get a large sturdy NWP canvas tote bag made in the USA with 100% certified organic cotton when you donate $50 or more. Ask your merchant about store bag credits when you use your NWP tote bag!

Where does your donation go?

　For each $10 donation, you can provide mentorship and support for one youth volunteer. That means that just $100 can impact the lives of 10 young people, the environment, and our world.

　The National Charities Information Bureau advises maintaining a charity’s administrative expenses at no more than 40%. Since our inception in 2000, all administrative functions have been performed on an entirely unpaid basis and we have applied >95% of your donations toward program services.

The Nicodemus Wilderness Project has been operating for FREE!

　Since our inception in 1999, we have been operating the entire Nicodemus Wilderness Project without a single paid position. Thousands of youth volunteers completed environmental projects around the world as part of this massive recruitment, planning, and mentoring effort. However, the launch is now complete and we are desperately in need of help to keep the program going.

What is Campaign 300?

　The Nicodemus Wilderness Project needs a Director of Programs. The Director of Programs position will be funded in perpetuity by establishing a permanent endowment of $300,000 and supplementing additional program costs with grants. This will allow us to work towards accomplishing our mission in a full-time capacity without having to devote excessive time to fundraising.

What are the goals of Campaign 300?

1.Protect our environment. Our programs result in a cleaner and safer environment for wildlife and for the health and enjoyment of future generations. Campaign 300 will allow us to greatly expand our programs by recruiting youth volunteers who conduct environmental stewardship projects around the world.
2.Promote youth education. Kids and teens are eager to help save the environment but they need mentorship, supplies, and support that only your donation can provide. Campaign 300 will allow us to expand our educational scholarship program and increase the visibililty of the already popular Apprentice Ecologist Awards.
3.Build future conservation leaders. Our programs build future conservation leaders because we realize that young volunteers become leaders when they are given the freedom to identify and solve environmental problems on their own.Campaign 300 will provide the support needed to nurture youth volunteers from their first Apprentice Ecologist project to a lifetime of service to our environment.

How much has Campaign 300 received so far?

　Gifts from the public total $31,350 (as of December 31, 2009). We are >10% of the way there! Your gift will help us reach 100%!

How can I help?

　Your contribution (big or small) to the Nicodemus Wilderness Project will help us to reach our common goal of bringing quality environmental education and stewardship activities to kids and teens around the world. Receive a large NWP tote bag (made in the USA with 100% certified organic cotton) for your donation of $50 or more. If you donate $1,000 or more, you will be permanently recognized as a Conservation Leader on our website and in our publications. By making a bequest or other planned gift to NWP, you can help ensure that wildlife and our environment will be protected for future generations.