National service
Presidential commendation for drug prevention, rehabilitation and family counseling; recognition for youth leadership and community service.
Our founder
Dr. Chrishantha JKM Dissanayake
Founder, Chairman and Director General · Shri Hela Cultural Collaboration Foundation
Founder · Foundering President · Director General
Dr. Chrishantha JKM Dissanayake
LinkedIn profileA Sri Lankan scholar, humanitarian leader and counselor whose work spans youth empowerment, peace advocacy, cultural collaboration and community service.
Dr. Dissanayake founded Shri Hela Cultural Collaboration Foundation in 2008. The profile supplied by the foundation describes over 25 years of work across philosophy, counseling, traditional medicine and environmental protection. He holds an honorary doctorate in public administration and is pursuing PhD research in ethical philosophy.
International Human Rights Commission (IHRC)
Commissioner for Sri Lanka & National Volunteer Coordinator
United Nations Association of Sri Lanka (UNA-SL)
Assistant Secretary General
Shri Hela Higher Education Academy
Founder & Chairman
Justice of the Peace
All-island appointment, Ministry of Justice, Sri Lanka
How it began
From Ganankete, Pannala to a wider mission
The foundation began in 2008 in Ganankete, Daraluwa, in the Pannala area of Sri Lanka’s Kurunegala District. Dr. Dissanayake and a group of emerging youth leaders trained by the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) set out to make community service accessible to everyone.
They saw how divisions of race, religion and caste could stand in the way of shared progress. From the beginning, their work brought human rights, youth development, education and drug rehabilitation together around a commitment to equality and service without discrimination.
2014
Shri Hela Abhiman Awards
The foundation introduced these awards to recognize people whose humanitarian and community work often goes unseen. What began as a local program grew into a broader platform for honoring service.
Today, the foundation continues to connect cultural collaboration and human dignity with its roots in community action in Pannala.
Recognition
Honors & achievements
Environment
Environmental and eco-leadership awards for work in reforestation, conservation and ecological awareness.
Honorary titles
Deshamanya, Deshabandhu, Deshakirthi, Kalakirthi, Humanitarian Lankaputhra and Desha Abhimani Vishwakirthi Janaranjana.
Leadership & affiliations
Areas of service
Peace, diplomacy & human rights
CIVICUS full member; Global Peace Ambassadors Organization peace ambassador; diplomatic member of The World Leaders Alliance for Human Rights, Relief and Human Development; member of the International Center for Peace Studies; and representative in Japan–Korea–Sri Lanka educational exchange initiatives.
Counseling & social welfare
Senior counselor in mental health, youth, child, family and addiction rehabilitation; Chief Counselor at Sith Siyapath Counseling Service; founder of Sithnana Isuru Society and Sri Lankan Youth Api Social Service Foundation.
Education & heritage
Founder of Shri Hela Traditional Medicine Forum; degree program and national course coordination with the Institute of Professional Studies & Skill Development; honorary academic advisory committee member at JIUB and academic advisor at Baptist University.
Environment, arts & community
Representative of Earth Loving Friendly Organization; director and writer in film, television and stage productions; investigative journalist; ordained evangelist and founder-chairman of the Organization for Protecting All Christian Rights.