The National Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation is a broad-based national forum chaired by the President, Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to ensure transparency and inclusivity regarding the peace process.

Sixty days after the new United People’s Freedom Alliance Government took office, Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga addressed the nation on 12 June 2004, in which she outlined the overall vision and future policies of the new government.

In her speech, the President spelt out the new government’s strategy on the peace process. She enunciated the establishment of peace structures that will play the pivotal role in moving the peace process forward, namely Peace Secretariat and the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation. The President elaborated on the formation of the National Advisory Council (NAC) for Peace and Reconciliation—a broad based national forum to conduct inclusive and transparent negotiation. “I will convene the NAC which will include political, religious and social leaders in the country to ascertain their views on how to bring peace, democracy and development to the country,” she said in her speech.
Click here to read the full text of the speech

The inaugural meeting of the NAC was chaired by the President and was held at the Presidential Secretariat on the 4th of October 2004. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse made the opening remarks. The meeting was attended by religious, political and civil society leaders.