Shenali Perera is a Sri Lankan social activist, applied psychologist, and researcher whose work focuses on social justice, postcoloniality, racism, and the role of religion in transformative political processes. She has extensive experience working with marginalized and conflict-affected communities in Sri Lanka.

Shenali is currently pursuing a Research Master’s degree in Theology and Religious Studies at KU Leuven, Belgium, specializing in Systematic Theology. Her research examines themes of memory, justice, and reconciliation, with particular attention to the role of the Sri Lankan Catholic Church as a custodian of collective memory in post-war contexts. Bridging theology, political thought, and lived experiences of conflict, her work reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship and transformative justice.

She holds an MSc in Applied Psychology from Coventry University, an MPhil in Intercultural Theology and Inter-Religious Studies from Trinity College Dublin, a BCom in Entrepreneurship from the University of Kelaniya, and a Higher National Diploma in Family Counselling from the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

Beyond academia, Shenali has held leadership roles in initiatives advancing democratic engagement and social inclusion. As Project Manager at Hashtag Generation, she led a regional social media hate speech monitoring program in partnership with the Network for Peace and USAID. She also served as Director of the Coalition for Inclusive Impact. Shenali is also an alumna of the Mediation and Negotiation Fellowship at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague. Her work is grounded in the conviction that justice is what love looks like in public.

Participant in: November/December 2022 Fellowship: Peacebuilding and Women’s Meaningful Participation in Peacebuilding Processes