Sunday Times 2
Five top artistes win Bunka awards
View(s):The 23rd “Bunka (Cultural) Awards” ceremony, organised by the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund, was held on Sunday November 6 at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Colombo 07.
Internal Affairs, Cultural Affairs and Wayamba Development Minister S. B. Navinna graced the occasion as Chief Guest while Japan’s Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma was the Guest of Honour. Among the distinguished invitees were Shungo Yoshioka, President of the Japanese Solidarity Association of Sri Lanka, Prof. Carlo Fonseka, Co-Chairman of the Fund.
The Bunka Awards are presented annually by the Fund, which was established in 1993, on the initiative of the Japanese Solidarity Association and the Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan. They aim to encourage and promote Sri Lankan artistes in fields such as drama, theatre, dance, music, painting, sculpture, pottery, photography, lyric writing, literature, video animation and visual arts.
This year five Sri Lankan artistes received the prestigious Bunka Awards. They are Ruwanthie de Chickera (theatre), Sulochna Dissanayake (puppetry), Kishani Jayasinghe (music), Vimukthi Jayasundara (cinema) and Dr. S. Jayasankar (theatre).
Bunka award winners: Dr. S. Jayasankar, Vimukthi Jayasundera, Kishani Jayasinghe, Sulochana Dissanayake and Ruwanthie de Chickera with Shungo Yoshioka, Prof. Carlo Fonseka, Minister S. B. Navinna and Kenichi Suganuma