events
View(s):National Trust lecture: ‘Cultural Mathematics’
Prof. J.B. Disanayaka will talk on ‘Cultural mathematics’ when he delivers the 61st monthly lecture of the National Trust – Sri Lanka at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10 at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24.
In Mathematics all numbers have numerical value. In culture however, only some numbers are significant or meaningful. What are the numbers that have cultural meaning? And what are the numbers that do not have such meaning? These questions lead to a fascinating field of inquiry which maybe called “Cultural Mathematics” which Prof. J.B. Disanayaka will speak of.
Desamanya J.B. Disanayaka, Emeritus Professor of Sinhala occupies a prominent place among the Sinhala scholars in contemporary Sri Lanka.
His doctoral dissertation on “The Word in Modern Literary Sinhala” was submitted to the University of Colombo in 1980. He was instrumental in establishing the Department of Linguistics in the University of Colombo. Prof. Disanayaka is also a former Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Thailand.
The National Trust – Sri Lanka conducts monthly lectures on the last Thursday of each month. The lectures are open to the members and the public at a nominal fee. The HNB Sustainability Foundation is the principal sponsor of the events of the National Trust – Sri Lanka.
Further information can be obtained from the Trust Office Tel 2682730 and at the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology, 407, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.
Registrars’ Association AGM and 26th anniversary
The Annual General Meeting coinciding with the 26th anniversary of the All Island Birth, Death and Marriage Registrars’ Association will be held on Tuesday, April 22 at the Colombo District Secretariat main hall (First floor) at 10 a.m.
The Chief Guest for the event will be Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs W.D.J. Seneviratne. Deputy Minister Vijaya Dahanayaka, Registrar General E.M. Gunasekara, District Secretary Kamal Padmasiri, Member of Parliament Colombo District Thilanga Sumathipala, Senior Minister A.H.M.Fowzie, Patron of the Association Provincial Council member Ashoka Jayawardena and the divisional secretaries will be the other guest taking part in the event.
Tamil and Muslim Registrars from the North and Eastern provinces will take part in the event for the first time along with Registrars from all parts of the island.
The participation of all registrars is expected, as the main objective is to ensure that their honorary service is provided with a great understanding and in a collective manner to serve the public.
YMCA Easter rally at Hyde Park
The Colombo YMCA will hold its annual Easter Rally at the Philip Gunawardena playground, Hyde Park, Colombo 2 on Saturday, April 26 from 5 p.m. onwards. The Colombo YMCA is celebrating its 90th year at Fort and the programme will consist of a number of interesting items including an English Drama by the Korean Church of Sri Lanka, a Tamil Drama and a Sinhala Drama ‘Vimuth Ranga’ by the YSS Group. All are welcome.
St. Peter’s College Easter programme
‘To God be the Glory’, the Easter Programme of the Choir of St. Peter’s College, Colombo 4, will be held today, Easter Sunday, April 20, at 6.30 p.m. at the college chapel.
With the Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev. Dr. Pierre Ngugen Van Tot being the Chief Celebrant, the Peterite Choir will be joined by the Primary Choir, the Teachers’ Choir and the Peterite Chorale.
WNPS lecture on freshwater fishes
Madura Anusha de Silva, President of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle will deliver a Lecture on ‘Freshwater Fishes of Sri Lanka and their conservation’ on Thursday, April 24 at 6.15 p.m. at the Department of Metereology auditorium, 383, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.
The lecture is part of the monthly series presented by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka.
Madura has been the principal investigator for a number of conservation studies including the current National Freshwater Fishes Survey.
An evening of poetry with Prof. K Satchidanandan
The Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo is organising “An Evening with Prof. K Satchidanandan”, an interaction with the world renowned poet and scholar as well as recital of his poems, at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25 at the Indian Cultural Centre 16/2, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7.
He will also launch the book titled “Tamil Short Stories from Sri Lanka”, edited by So Patmanathan during the event. The poet’s visit is arranged with the support of the India Sri Lanka Foundation, Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration, Sri Lanka and Taj Samudra Colombo. During his visit to Sri Lanka, Prof. Satchidanandan will be delivering talks at Peradeniya University, Eastern University and Sabaragamuwa University.
K. Satchidanandan is a leading Indian poet writing in Malayalam. One of the founders of Malayalam ‘post-modernist’ poetry, he is noted for his universal outlook.
All are welcome to the programme and the seats are on a first come first served basis.
Helping your child read with the British Council
The British Council is a retreat for many book lovers across the island and it strongly believes in promoting the notion of reading for pleasure.
The British Council library believes that in this day and age, it is vital to spread the reading habit and its inevitably contained values – that’s why on Saturday, April 26 from 5.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m., the library has teamed up with writer Daya Dissanayake who will give pointers on how parents can get involved in creating a positive and lasting reading relationship with their children.
The award winning author will be exploring ways to develop reading within children and will also touch on how parents can be an active part in that journey. Important topics that are usually not addressed will be discussed in this session such as violence in children’s books. Parents are invited to join the British Council in this one hour session and learn the importance of their role in their child’s reading life. This interactive session will give them a chance to voice ideas and suggestions, as well as their own experiences that contribute to a stimulating discussion. For more information on how to register, please call (011) 24521121.
Life is worth living because Jesus lives
Easter message from the Anglican Bishop of Colombo Dhiloraj R. Canagasabey
May the peace, joy, and hope of the Living God through His Son Jesus be upon you all!
As we approach the Holy Week as one Christian family, as people of His Kingdom, celebrating the great faithfulness of our Heavenly Father, who paid the ransom to save us from eternal damnation by sending His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ whom He loved so much to die for our sins on the Cross at Calvary, we confront that cruel Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and the empty tomb on Easter Day. These two days changed the whole course of Christianity and the destiny of humankind.
The Cross reminds us that it is the pathway every Christian and every person who accepts Jesus as His Lord and Saviour needs to tread along. The Cross reminds us of the broken “God -Man” relationship and the “Man-Man” relationship that was restored on that cross. Thereby the Cross demands that we live a life of right, reconciled, holistic relationships with one another, transcending all divisions of caste, colour, race or creed.
The Cross also reminds us of the life we need to live as Reconciled Christians – the life of our baptism , a life that says no to sin and says yes to a life of righteousness; a life that says no to a self-centred life and says yes to an other-centred life. It is only through the way of the Cross that we can experience that power of the empty tomb. Jesus our Lord, by His death and resurrection transformed us to become people of “Easter Presence” and “Resurrection Power”. Jesus our Lord is with us everywhere. As the Holy Bible says, the very power that raised Jesus from death is with us and within us and therefore nothing is impossible for God through us. It is this, and this alone that urges us to hope in Christ, even when everything around us seem hopeless and rather frustrating. He died to save us from eternal damnation, rose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, is seated on His Throne beside His Father and sent His Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. He reigns forever.
He is in total control of all our life situations. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow courageously and joyfully. May we take our earthly lives seriously. It is the only chance we get to come into this world, to discern prayerfully the purpose for which He created us in our mother’s wombs and sent us here. We need to endeavour to fulfil that purpose. The whole world, and even our beloved nation in its brokenness is in need of Jesus, His soothing presence, His love, His forgiveness, His restoration and above all His resurrection power with signs and wonders. We need to be cleansed from all sin and unrighteousness. We need to forgive the other and be reconciled to each other. We need to build bridges of trust and confidence between communities by our lives and witness.
May we share Christ with all. May every one come to realise the blessing of belonging to Him. Christianity is never a religion. It is a living relationship with the Living God in the power of the Holy Spirit. Enter into this life-lasting, joyful relationship with Jesus and know what it means to you. You will never be able to buy this experience with money anywhere in the world.
Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow;
Because Jesus lives, all fear is gone;
Because we know He holds our future,
Life is worth living, because He lives!
Jesus is alive, He is Risen. Alleluiah!