Veranstaltungskalender
der Universität Innsbruck und der Medizinischen Universität Innsbruck
Montag, 18.05.2026
17:30 - 20:00 Uhr
Agnes-Heller-Haus, Seminarraum 14, Innrain 52a
Anmeldung ist nicht erforderlich
Eintritt / Kosten: Keine
Sulochana Peiris
Sulochana Peiris is an independent documentary maker, researcher, and writer based in Sri Lanka. Sulochana has over two decades of experience in media, advocacy, and peacebuilding fields. During early career years, Sulochana worked as a print and TV journalist, and subsequently, switched over to the not-for-profit sector where she was involved in peacebuilding, early warning, human rights, and human security communication and advocacy related work in Sri Lanka.
Duration : 110”Mns
‘Pettah’ is a documentary film by Sulochana Pieris that explores the role of minority communities in Sri Lanka’s busiest and most economically significant commercial hub located in the heart of Colombo.
Pettah is home to traders and entrepreneurs from across Sri Lanka’s ethnic spectrum, Tamils, Sinhala, Muslims, Burghers, and also numerous smaller communities collectively labelled “Other” in national statistics. Many of these “Other” groups, such as the Bohras, Memons, Bharathas, Sindhis, Chettiars and Parsis, are of Indian origin, with migration histories stretching back generations. In Pettah, these communities have built thriving businesses, sustained livelihoods across the island, and demonstrated that diversity, when embraced, can be an engine of economic strength.
Through interviews, archival research, and on-the-ground storytelling, the documentary recovers histories largely absent from official narratives and positions Pettah as a living example of intercultural coexistence, where daily life, commerce, and relationships defy national divisions. The documentary also looks at how these groups have navigated moments of ethnic violence, discrimination, and political instability. It also captures how everyday trade fosters cooperation and inter-communal ties in one of the country’s most dynamic marketplaces.
InnPeace - Research Center for Peace and Conflict
Sladjana Lazic
+43 512 507 40209
innpeace@uibk.ac.at