- info@greencross.lk
- Mon - Sat: 08.00 am - 05:00 pm
About Us
Green Cross Sri Lanka was established as the 29th member of the Green Cross family on 16th of September 2005 after signing the Memorandum of Understanding by Hon. Shoo Iwasaki, President of Green Cross Japan on behalf of Green Cross International and on behalf of Sri Lanka by Dr. Jagath Seneviratne as the Charter President of Green Cross Sri Lanka, Former Lecturer in the Japanese Language unit, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
The Interim Agreement of Recognition between Green Cross International and Green Cross Sri Lanka was signed by Mr. Alexander Likhotal, President Green Cross International / Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Jagath Seneviratne, President, Green Cross Sri Lanka, Former Lecturer in the Japanese Language unit, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The organization was registered under Voluntary Social Services Organizations Act No.31 of 1980 by the Registrar of Non-Governmental Organizations on 04.01.2006 bearing registered No. FL 106604.
ABOUT GREEN CROSS
SRI LANKA
Green Cross International
Green Cross International is an environmentalist organization. It was founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993, building upon the work started by the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On 6 June 1992, the Rio Earth Summit delegates asked Gorbachev to establish Green Cross International.
The two organizations merged in 1993, becoming Green Cross International, which was officially launched in Kyoto, Japan, on 18 April 1993.
In 1994, the first Green Cross National Organizations (GCNOs) joined GCI in The Hague, including Japan, The Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Switzerland, and the United States. Today there are member organizations in 30 countries.
Founder of Green Cross International
President of Green Cross Japan
HON. Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a Russian and former Soviet politician, considered as the founder of Green Cross International. Mikhail Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931, in the village of Privolnoye, Krasnogvardeisky District, Stavropol Territory, in the south of the Russian republic into a peasant family. He worked in agriculture during his teenage years and went on study law and agricultural economics.
In 1985 Gorbachev was elected the new leader of the Soviet Union. In 1990, the Nobel Committee gave President Gorbachev the main credit for this by awarding him the Peace Prize.
In 1993, Green Cross International was founded by Mikhail Gorbachev, building upon the work started by the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On 6 June 1992, the Rio Earth Summit delegates asked Gorbachev to establish Green Cross International, and around the same time Swiss National Council MP Roland Wiederkehr founded “World Green Cross”, with similar aims. The two organizations merged in 1993, becoming Green Cross International, which was formally launched in Kyoto, Japan, on 18 April 1993. In 1994, the first Green Cross National Organizations (GCNOs) joined GCI in The Hague, including Japan, The Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Switzerland, and the United States.
Today there are member organizations in 30 countries. Its primary mission is to “respond to the combined challenges of security, poverty and environmental degradation to ensure a sustainable and secure future”.
HON. SHOO IWASAKI
Hon. Shoo Iwasaki is the President of Green Cross Japan, Supreme Advisor of Green Cross International, Director of Asian Region Green Cross International, and Chief Advisor of Green Cross Sri Lanka.
He is the founding President of Green Cross Japan, which was among the inaugural group of Green Cross International organizations formed in 1994.
Hon. Shoo Iwasaki is also a former Nishi Nippon Broadcasting Co. announcer and a graduate of Chuo University in Japan. He also holds honorary degrees from Kyonggi University in South Korea and from Emerson College in the US. He joined the Green Cross family in 1994.
Green Cross Japan has been a strong supporter of education and value change activities in their home country, Japan. Moreover, Green Cross Japan offered great services to other members of the Green Cross family, especially in Green Cross Sri Lanka.
From 2005 up to date, a large number of projects have been implemented and successfully completed by Green Cross Sri Lanka, with the assistance rendered by many donors, and prominent philanthropists spearhead by Green Cross Japan.
Dr. Jagath Seneviratne
President of Green Cross Sri Lanka
Dr. Jagath Seneviratne is the Charter President of Green Cross Sri Lanka and he is the President/Managing Director of the KIU University in Sri Lanka. Further, he was a former Lecturer at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Jagath Seneviratne graduated from the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka and also, he holds postgraduate degree qualifications from the University of Chiba.
Green Cross Sri Lanka was established as the 29th member of the Green Cross family under Green Cross Japan. Dr. Jagath Seneviratne could establish Green Cross Sri Lanka in 2005 and made available more opportunities for the Sri Lankan students through Green Cross Japan.
He is a strong personality who is supporting the environment, education, and welfare activities in Sri Lanka continuously over the past 15 years. Still, he is contributing his maximum support and services to his mother country.
Thishani Rodrigo
Director of Green Cross Sri Lanka
It is with deep pride and commitment that I extend my message as the Director of Green Cross Sri Lanka (GCSL). Since its establishment in 2005 under the vision and leadership of Dr. Jagath Seneviratne, Green Cross Sri Lanka has grown into a nationally recognized organization devoted to environmental protection, sustainable development, and community well-being.
Our mission is rooted in the belief that true environmental progress can only be achieved when people and nature coexist in harmony. We at Green Cross Sri Lanka strive to empower communities to be active participants in this mission — protecting the environment not only as a duty, but as a shared inheritance to be preserved for future generations.
Through our flagship programs such as the Green Lane Environment Diary, Smart Water Projects, and various community welfare initiatives, we have reached thousands of students, families, and rural communities across the nation. These projects symbolize the heart of GCSL — practical action blended with education, compassion, and sustainability.
We take pride in our collaboration with Green Cross Japan and Green Cross International, whose unwavering support and trust continue to strengthen our work. Together, we aim to create lasting change by integrating environmental awareness into education, improving access to clean water, and fostering a culture of care for the planet.
As we move forward, our vision remains clear — to build a greener, healthier, and more sustainable Sri Lanka, where every citizen recognizes their role as a guardian of the environment. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to serve this cause, and I remain deeply committed to continuing the legacy of Green Cross Sri Lanka with dedication, innovation, and integrity.
PRESENT ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Rev. Galagama Dammaransi Thero
Chief Incumbent of Sri Hathbodhi Viharaya Narahenpita
Prof. Chandima Wijebandara
Former Vice Chancellor of University of Sri Jayewardenepura
OUR PARTNERS
Green Cross Sri Lanka Partnerships with Government and Private Sectors to carry out our mission. We believe association between all sectors is crucial to achieve everlasting Sustainable and secure future for all living beings.
Previous
Next