Given the fact that Sri Lanka has been scarred by multiple forms of political violence, nationalist and religious conflict, dismantled democratic practices and the subversion of knowledge production, Colombo Institute firmly believes that one of the most visible victims has been the society’s collective frame of mind.

In that context, Colombo Institute believes that its endeavors for change in society should primarily be directed towards the minds of the people. On the basis of this conviction, the Colombo Institute strives to:

1. make critical knowledge available and more accessible;
2. create and promote alternative and creative approaches in thinking and action and
3. work across geographic, ethnic, linguistic, cultural and national borders in generating and disseminating knowledge and ideas. Its primary foci are the Tamil and Sinhala speaking youth and their languages.