CAMPAIGNS
The Otara Foundation has collaborated on many media campaigns with noteworthy conservation and ‘national interest’ focus. These include:
Animal Welfare Bill approved by Cabinet
The Otara Foundation welcomed the approval of the Animal Welfare Bill by the Cabinet of Ministers as a step in the right direction and pledged to continue its advocacy in order to ensure the enactment of the Bill as law
Independence Day Campaign
Sri Lanka celebrated the anniversary of its independence on the 4th of February 2016. With it, the Otara Foundation launched an Independence Day-centered National Media Campaign, in association with mainstream media (Daily Mirror, Sunday Times) highlighting the plight of animals in captivity.
Protect Wilpattu
Otara Foundation, together with Founder Otara Gunewardene undertook a specialised site visit in 2016 and addressed the public via social media on the concerns resulting from massive deforestation of this protected national park and its buffer zones. The Foundation, in collaboration with activists, supports the campaign to ‘Protect ‘Wilpattu.
Federation of Environmental Organisations
The Otara Foundation sponsored Sri Lanka’s first ‘Bird Race’ in 2015, to promote the diversity of birds in urban wetlands around the capital city.
Maximus Maximus
A docu-short film on HEC featuring Sri Lanka’s leading conservationists featured founder Otara Gunewardene’s work in HEC awareness.
Sampur – Say No to Coal!
Otara Gunewardene undertook a specialized visit to Sampur in Trincomalee and participated in several events, campaigning together with the ‘say no to coal’ group.
Towards a Greener Sri Lanka
Aurora Sri Lanka, supported by the Otara Foundation, successfully implemented an initiative to replace the trees cut down to make room for Sri Lanka’s southern expressway in Balummahara, Kadawatte.
Zoo Campaign
The Otara Foundation campaigned for the closure of the Dehiwela Zoo and the compassionate release of animals in state care.
Founder Otara Gunewardene uses her personal social media reach to promote the work and objectives of the Otara Foundation. In this regard, note-worthy national interest campaigns have reached millions online, including on the following topics:
- Recycle
- Compost
- Caged Animals
- Independence Day
- Animal Welfare Bill
- Vegan Sri Lankan food
- Buy Local Produce
- Adoption Days
- Anti-Cruelty Campaigns
- Pedigree Puppy Mills & Trading
- Before & After (Transformation Stories)
- Traditional Farming
- Indigenous People
- Women’s Day
- Earth Hour
- Wildlife Protection
- The Suffering of Animals in Entertainment
- Human Elephant Conflict
- Beach Clean Ups
- Marine Mammal Protection
- Special Needs – Empowerment
