When Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in 2009, there was a genuine hope that the country’s many ethnic and religious communities would finally unite.

Unfortunately, recent tragic events had given a hateful few a loud and powerful voice, especially on social media where discussions were cruel and divisive.

Love Not Hate, an expanding collective of local leaders, wanted to bring attention to this issue and challenge these voices.

Divisions are often based on nothing more than a person’s name. However, a closer look reveals that Sri Lankan names often have other names within them, including names from other communities.

The United By Name campaign began with a simple Facebook post that showed how names, instead of dividing Sri Lanka, could unite it. This act immediately generated thousands of likes and shares, and engaged people in an honest, thoughtful discussion.

By combining traditional symbols and art from the communities found in a particular name, personalized Facebook cover designs were created for anyone who wanted to participate. These were then turned into press ads.

Local media also engaged with the campaign and many members of the public even went as far as to change their names on social media. Celebrities and dignitaries got involved as well. During the World Cup we showed how our cricketers were also United By Name. The campaign then culminated with people of all races and faiths coming together to celebrate the traditional Sri Lankan New Year.

Divisions are often based on nothing more than a person’s name. However, a closer look reveals that Sri Lankan names often have other names within them, including names from other communities.

The United By Name campaign began with a simple Facebook post that showed how names, instead of dividing Sri Lanka, could unite it. The campaign was soon covered by the local media and immediately generated thousands of likes and shares. It got people engaged in an honest, thoughtful discussion.

By combining traditional symbols and art from the communities found in a particular name, personalized Facebook cover designs were created for participants. These grabbed attention and were then turned into press ads.

Inspired, many members of the public even went as far as to change their names on social media. Celebrities and dignitaries also got involved. The campaign then culminated with a united celebration of the Sri Lankan New Year.

The United By Name initiative earned thousands of likes and shares online and received extensive coverage in the local media. Many people were inspired to go as far as to change their names on social media and numerous celebrities and dignitaries got involved. But what was most important and most rewarding was that it engaged all races and faiths in an honest, thoughtful discussion about unity in Sri Lanka.