Lakshitha Saji Prelis
Collaborative on Global Children's Issues
Lakshitha Saji Prelis is co-chair of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security; director of Children & Youth Programs at Search for Common Ground (SFCG); and a 2024-2025 senior fellow with the Georgetown University Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues. With over 25 years of experience, Prelis has been a leading figure in youth movements within conflict and transition environments across more than 35 countries.
- Advises governments on effective youth engagement strategies.
- Co-led successful advocacy for the UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018), and 2535 (2020) as co-chair of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security.
- Director of Children & Youth Programs at SFCG, where he develops and oversees programs that promote peace and security for young people globally.
- Founding director of the Peacebuilding & Development Institute at American University in Washington, DC, where he co-developed over 100 training curricula focusing on the intersection of peacebuilding and development.
- Recipient of the distinguished Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Peace Support.
- Obtained his master’s degree in international peace and conflict resolution from American University in Washington, DC.
