Neville Jayaweera was born to Robert and Constance Jayaweera in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 23 October 1930; the third of four siblings – Stanley, Sheila and Beryl.
He had his secondary education at St Thomas's College, Mount Lavinia, and at St Peter's College, Colombo. He took an Honours Degree in Philosophy from the University of Ceylon in 1953 and passed into the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service in 1955.
In 1949, his brother Stanley had also taken an Honours Degree in Philosophy from the same university and in 1953 had passed into the elite Ceylon Foreign Service, within which he held several senior diplomatic positions and retired in 1988 as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Germany.
At University, Jayaweera met Trixie Jayasekera, who by an extraordinary coincidence was also born on the 23 October 1930, to Mudaliyar William and Mrs Stella Jayasekera of Ratnapura. She was the fourth of six siblings, Brightius, Daphne, Ethelinda, Ashley and Nihal. Trixie had her secondary education at Bishop's College, Colombo, and took a General Arts Degree from the University of Ceylon and worked for several years as a Library Assistant under the Bromley Council in Kent.
Neville Jayaweera and Trixie Jayasekera married in 1958 and have a daughter, Manohari (Mano), who received her education at Ladies College Colombo and in the UK at two private schools, St Christopher's School for Girls, Beckenham, Kent, and at Sydenham High School for Girls, in Kent. She went on to take a BSc from Kingston and an MSc from Sussex.Mano married Edmund Glynn, who holds a PPE from Christ Church Oxford, and an MA from the LSE London.
Having served with the Government of Ceylon (named Sri Lanka in 1972) from 1955 to 1972, and taking early retirement in 1972, Jayaweera moved to the UK in 1974, and worked in the World Association of Christian Communication ( WACC ) for 17 years. He resigned from the WACC in 1989 and resumed his career with the Government of Sri Lanka in 1991 to serve as Ambassador to the Scandinavian countries from 1991 to 1994. On completion of his tour as Ambassador and taking final retirement in 1994, Jayaweera and his wife Trixie, now live in retirement in a quiet village in Kent.
A summary of Neville Jayaweera's Career
For a short period after graduating from the University of Ceylon Peradeniya in 1953, Jayaweera was an Assistant Lecturer in Philosophy in the University, until he passed into the Civil Service in 1955.
Neville Jayaweera served In the Ceylon Civil Service (later renamed Ceylon Administrative Service) between the ages of 25 and 42, i.e. from1955 to 1972 , when he took early retirement. During those 17 years, Jayaweera held several senior positions under government.
Among the posts he held while serving the Sri Lankan Government, between 1955 and 1972 were
1. Assistant Government Agent ( A.G.A.) of the Administrative Districts of Ratnapura, Kandy, Badulla and Galle, in that order
2. Government Agent ( G.A.) of the Administrative Districts of Badulla Jaffna, Trincomalee and Vavuniya.
3. Senior Asst Secretary to the Minister of State ( Mr J.R.Jayawardena )
4. Chairman and Director General of the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation. (CBC)
After taking early retirement from the government in 1972, until 1974, Jayaweera served as Additional Director of the Marga Research Institute Colombo
Thereafter, accepting an invitation from the World Association of Christian Communication (WACC) in London, to work as their Director of Research and Planning , Jayaweera relocated to London with his wife Trixie and daughter Mano, and served in that capacity till 1989.
He resigned from the WACC in 1989, and resumed his career with the Government of Sri Lanka in 1990.
From 1990 to 1991 he served as Media Adviser to The President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Ranasinghe Premadasa.
From 1991 to 1994 Jayaweera served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.
Between 1976 and 1983 Jayaweera was also a Member of the BBC’s Central Religious Advisory Committee (CRAC) London
Between 1975 and 1983 Jayaweera was a trustee of the International Broadcasting Institute (IBI) later renamed International Institute of Communication.( IIC ) London
Between 1980 and 1991 Jayaweera was a Member of the Board of Governors of the Worldview International foundation (WIF) Colombo
Between 1980 and 1989 Jayaweera was the WACC’s permanent representation to the UNESCO as well as to the ITU in Geneva.
During 1975 and 1989 Jayaweera travelled the globe lecturing on the New Communication Technologies and the Communication Revolution, subjects on which he has written extensively.
Jayaweera has also written extensively on Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, and on spiritual matters.
Since his final retirement in 1994, Jayaweera settled down with his wife Trixie in a village in Kent, UK, where he has been leading a contemplative life, meditating, praying and writing on spiritual subjects.
For a fuller account of Jayaweera’s career and for a summary of his spiritual transformation, please read his autobiography titled “ The Fork in the Road” available in this blog.
