17/12/2025
“ In spite of the government printer receiving clear directives to utilise Unicode fonts in all the documents produced and printed in government sector, they still stick to the old legacy fonts and outdated design software just to save the jobs of few people as outdated as the software and fonts themselves.
How can we be AI ready as a nation without adapting these new and beautiful designed fonts at least now?” Questioned Janitha Rukmal Thalaagoda our Co-Founder and Executive Director who had been invited to the National Consultation on Rights-Based Governance of Digital Platforms – Sri Lanka
Held at the University of Vocational Technology (UoVT)
This national event was organized in collaboration with UNESCO and partner universities in Nepal and Bangladesh, as part of the regional initiative to localize the UNESCO Guidelines on the Governance of Digital Platforms.
The event was graced by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Mr. Eranga Weerarathna who attended as the Special Guest.
Acting Vice Chancellor Dr. Sunil Kularathne also participated, together with Mr. Dilantha Rathnayake, Dean – Faculty of Industrial Technology, along with Deans of other faculties, Heads of Departments, and members of the academic staff.
International participation included:
• Prof. Kundan Aryal, Head, Central Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
• Ms. Nirjana Sharma, Program Officer & Head of Communication and Information, UNESCO Nepal
A wide range of stakeholders took part in this consultation, including university lecturers, journalists, media practitioners, civil society activists, digital rights advocates, and lawyers, reflecting a strong multi-sector commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s digital governance landscape.
The program included expert inputs, panel discussions, and roundtable sessions focusing on mis/disinformation, online safety, regulatory gaps, and the need for rights-based digital governance in Sri Lanka. Insights from this consultation will contribute directly to the regional policy brief and the toolkits for regulators and civil society being developed under the South Asian digital governance initiative.
