Winner:

Unity is strength

As we hear the word unity what comes into our mind is a world without war or a peaceful world filled with harmony and happiness. But unity also means being with each other in times of sorrow and joy, no matter what caste, creed, religion or ethnic group we belong to.

"Unity is strength" is a common saying that all of us have heard of. But if we come to think of it, this is really true. Unity is strength, if we are together as one, facing the many obstacles and challenges that we have to go through in our lives will not be a difficult task. But if we are not united, it will be very difficult for us to face the world. We do not know at what moment we might fall. But if we are united there will always be someone to give us a hand to stand up.If everyone is united and work together as one, it would be much harder for enemies or intruders to attack. By being united and respecting others and their ideas we can gain a lot, and also be happy. We can always get the best solution for a problem if we respect everybody's ideas and give everyone a chance to present their own ideas.

Unity is one of the main and essential things lacking in our society. If we are united we should treat everybody the way we would like others to treat us. We should always try to correct ourselves and also others and go in the correct path. We should try to be humble and kind, and try to inculcate good qualities in ourselves and also spread it to everyone in society.Nowadays everyone has busy schedules. Everybody, from school going children to adults, lead very busy lives; most of the people have no time to spend on others who really need them.

But my view is that if we are really interested and keen to help, it won't be very difficult for us to find the time to do so. As children who will be facing the world tomorrow it is our duty and responsibility to see that we are united. Everyone is interested in achieving their own goals and getting a higher position in society that nobody notices other people and children who are in need. We are the leaders of tomorrow's world so we should always keep in mind this simple saying, "Unity is strength".

Dilinie Seimon,

Grade 10 D,

St. Lawrence's Convent,Colombo 6.

Winner:

Mobile phones and the young generation

Today, mobile phones have changed our lives in a big way. In the past this was a very rare instrument. But nowadays mobile phones can be seen in the hands of even four-year-olds.Most people discuss the value or the advantages one can gain from these instruments whenever they get together. But every good thing also has a bad side to it; there are two sides to a coin always.

It is true that mobile phones have made our lives much easier as we can communicate with anyone in the world easily. But unfortunately, the lack of knowledge among the younger generation about the positive uses of this facility for their development, has affected the lives of some very badly. Today most of the youth use this instrument in a wrong manner which only brings negative results.

With the modernising world, many people have lost their humane qualities and have degenerated both emotionally and spiritually. And the younger generation has become victims of the bad influences of the modern world. Immoral video clips and songs have come into their lives through these mobile phones.Do you know that these phones can even be the death of many a young person? Recently a schoolgirl committed suicide due to a mobile phone. So, who should take the responsibility for her innocent life? She paid with her life all because of this small electronic device. There is no need to say how tragic these kind of incidents are. She lost her life and we can't do anything about it now.

But we have to try to stop this kind of incidents in the future.We can't stop the development of technology in the world, but we have to teach the younger generation to reap the maximum benefits from them without harming their lives. I do not say phones should be prohibited among teenagers. But they should be made to understand the objective of such an instrument. If all can understand the purpose of modern technology our world would be a better place to live in.

G. Tharindu Randika Pathirana,

Grade 11,

St. Thomas' Boys' College, Matara.

Winner:

Let's protect the environment

The environment is a gift given by Mother Nature. It comprises our surroundings including the land, the trees, waterways, the air, the sky and every other thing around us.It is from the environment that we get everything we need to live on the Earth. But, some people do not know the value of the environment. So, they pollute the water, air and land in many different ways.The trees that stop soil erosion are cut down in a careless manner.

We must keep the environment clean and pleasant. Environmental pollution is one of the serious problems that we face today.People pollute the environment in various ways, especially by throwing garbage everywhere. As school children we should not throw litter everywhere and pollute our environment.Man has also disturbed the peaceful environment of the animal kingdom. There are many species of animals that have become almost extinct, due to their natural habitats being destroyed.

However, a clean environment would bring about cool development!

Anuradha Gangadari,

Grade 8-C,Piliyandala Central College.

Winner:

What I really want in life

I do not think that life is a bed of roses. I do not intend building castles in the sky.

"Whoever protects religion will be protected by religion", it is said and therefore I always believe in good things such as honesty, kindness, courtesy and good morals. This means I really want to be a good person.

As the Buddha preached, I follow the Five Precepts. I also follow the high qualities mentioned in the "Karaneeya Metta Sutta". Because of this, my lifestyle is very simple, calm and quiet.

When I was small, my mother said, "Do not expect anything from anybody". So, when I am entrusted with some responsibility, I do it perfectly. That's the way to ensure a good future.

Going by my past experiences, I know that I have strived to do good things and succeeded to a great extent. I can get a good output from these good deeds in the future.

I am always in a happy mood. To improve my qualities, I meditate and listen to Dhammadesanas. I also watch good educational programmes on TV, respect elders and help my family and friends in their needs. Last year on August 7, I gave alms to a children's orphanage.

I intend to be a very good person and lead a contented, successful life in the future.

Ishenka Udeshinie Fernando,

Grade 8-E, Sujatha Vidyalaya,

Nugegoda.

Winner:

Peace and harmony go hand in hand

Peace and harmony are two different words that come together all the time. These two words cannot be separated because they are interrelated. There are powerful and great meanings hidden behind these two simple words. If we live happily without any conflicts with one another it would lead to the development of peace and harmony in our country.

We certainly need peace and harmony to live together with one another because Sri Lanka is a multi-racial country with Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils, Burghers and others living in it. These people also practise different religions and use different languages to communicate with one another. The traditions and concepts too are different from one community to another and these differences may lead to problems like the ethnic conflict. Human society is like a network. We all have certain duties and responsibilities to carry out and we need to get help from one another. If a person thinks that he can live alone, it is a myth because there is a strong bond among people. It is this huge bond that should be used to build friendships and promote peace among the people.

World wars, acts of terrorism, religious and other conflicts are some of the main issues that disturb the peace and harmony of a nation. To avoid such conflict situations from arising we should learn to respect other people. and their religions, cultures and traditions. . The government should also contribute to the development of peace and harmony in the country by protecting the needs and legal rights of all the people. We should all take part in fostering peace throughout the nation.

Dilini Tissera,

Grade 11,

Hillwood College, Kandy.