If these walls could only talk
Once a mansion of love and loss, College House on Thurstan Road, Colombo 3 is today a motif of expectation to the ‘fresher’ and a symbol of excellence to generations of young men and women whose lives have been shaped by this illustrious institute of learning. The University of Ceylon began in 1942 at College [...]
Letters to the Editor
Increasing fines and doing more to reduce menace of drunk-driving The recent increase in fines for traffic offences in the wake of rising road accidents, violation of road rules and colossal disregard to road discipline might help in reducing road accidents. However incidents of driving under the influence of liquor, speeding and reckless driving are [...]
Appreciations
The quintessential public servant who was affable and helpful Dunstan Perera Dunstan (BBDM) Perera who was one of the earliest recruits to the Central Bank in 1950 passed away peacefully at the ripe old age of 92. Dunstan Perera did pioneering work on Sri Lanka’s National Accounts. In the early 1950’s the Central Bank commenced [...]
Keeping track of Mother Earth in a creative way
Cinnamon Colomboscope, the city’s multi-disciplinary contemporary arts festival launched its 2017 edition on Friday with an impressive mix of works from local and international artists. Hosted by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts with the John Keells Foundation and conceptualised by the EUNIC cluster of Sri Lanka (Goethe-Institut, British Council and Alliance Française de Kotte), the festival, [...]
The artist and her art
Large canvases lined the walls leading to the ballroom, the paintings the work of the artist herself. It was a grand and colourful launch as Marie Alles Fernando’s book on her work over the past 50 years – “A 50 year Retrospective” was launched on August 29 at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton. Her [...]
Let us revive equality and peace among all beings this Hajj
What is Hajj and what takes place during the annual pilgrimage? Let us turn to an English scholar who inscribed the following epitaph in late 19th Century, when British rule dominated much of the world: “But above all – and herein is its supreme importance in the missionary history of Islam – it ordains a [...]
Insulting animal rights NGOs vs. speaking up for elephants
Samma Diththi (Right View) is the first of the Noble Eightfold Path that Buddha taught –seeing the world and everything in it as it really is, not as one believes or wants it to be. In Buddha’s words: “My teaching is not a dogma or a doctrine, but no doubt some people will take it [...]
Rewinding the story of the cinema
A 9.5 mm film by Pathe Baby, a 35 mm projector, less than one-minute French movies by Lumiere Brothers dating back to 1895, the last manually-operated editing table used by veteran film director G.D.L. Perera, the largest film poster of Sinhala cinema and the spectacles of Gamini Fonseka as Nadaraja in Sarungale will be among [...]
For the love of the country and horses
The Ceylon Riding Club- “The place where people and horses meet” opened its new premises – a spacious three- acre site near Kottawa, on August 26, offering a wide range of activities related to horse riding. The chief guest for the event was Maj. Gen. Prasanna de Silva (rtd) of the Sri Lankan Army with [...]
18 and alone in the world
“My son is now 17. Will I give up on him next year just because he turns 18? I will support him probably till he is employed. If that is the case, how can we expect children in institutionalized care to transform themselves as adults overnight? Where can these children go? Who will support them?” [...]
Inspired by the flight of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”
On Wednesday, August 23, children and young adults with special needs from the Shankar Foundation in India and the Sunera Foundation in Sri Lanka celebrated their artistry with passion and vigour in an evening of dance, music and drama. The programme was supported by the Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo and was aimed at strengthening the [...]
Maya runs for the Sunshine Charity
Dutch- Sri Lankan theatre and film actress, Maya de Bresser recently ran the London Half Marathon in aid of the Sunshine Charity after having heard of the meaningful work the charity does for vulnerable children living in the Eastern Province here. “I was born on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka and having visited the [...]
Opening her Lankan chapter by empowering youth with English
Trips to the library were an important part of Gill Caldicott’s childhood. Together with her mother, Gill would pay regular visits to her school and local libraries- traditions she would revisit with her own son. “Reading was a big part of my life,” she says, and as the new Country Director of the British Council [...]
Join Cue Theatre on a trip to the underworld
On September 9 and 10, Cue Theatre will stage Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice” at the Western Province Aesthetic Resort (Open Air Amphitheatre) – a contemporary retelling of the famous love story of Orpheus and his beloved wife Eurydice – with a twist. Founder of Cue Theatre Ranga Jayaratne directs this play first staged by American playwright [...]
Bringing back the dance with an infusion of colour and vigour
Dancing queen Naomi Rajaratnam treated Colombo audiences to a visual treat at her recent show “Resurrection” held at the Bishop’s College auditorium. Naomi’s experience in the sphere of dance has seen her criss-crossing a diverse gamut of genres from ballet, Latin American, local dance forms to ballroom. The show was a representation of just that [...]
Yesterday Once More to bring back memories of 60s and 70s female singers
First there were six, then there were three, then two and now there is only one. What started off as the Winslow 6 has now become solo performances by Dr. Manella Joseph, but she is not discouraged. “As long as God grants me the power to sing I will continue to do so,” she states [...]
A collector’s choice and chance to give a helping hand
The Saskia Fernando Gallery and the Ceylon School for the Deaf and the Blind recently held their third annual silent auction in aid of the Ceylon School for the Deaf and the Blind at the Temple Trees auditorium with 37 prominent Sri Lankan artists donating their work for the auction. “This event is not only [...]
Variety of Indian dance and music
An evening of Indian Dance and Music (classical and folk) by visiting artistes from the Hindustan Art & Music Society, Kolkata, India will be held on September 8 at the ICC auditorium, 16/2, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7. The evening will consist of performances by well known artistes from different parts of India with Bharata natyam, [...]
Art competition in memory of WERC founder
Paintings of children between the ages of 16 and 19 from different parts of Sri Lanka, based on the theme “Creating a better working world for women” will be displayed at the JDA Perera Art Gallery on October 8 and 9. The theme of the art exhibition echoes this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) slogan [...]
Coffee Morning at Amaya Hills for Kandy Cancer Hospital
Amaya Hills Kandy was a buzz of activity on Sunday, August 13 hosting a coffee morning for the “Kandyan ladies”. Proceeds from the event were in aid of the Kandy Cancer Hospital which is under construction. The coffee morning was hosted by Amaya Hills in collaboration with the Ladies Association of Kandy. The event was [...]
Friends in harmony playing for good cause
The orchestra Friends in Harmony will be seen at a concert that has been organised by the church of St. Paul’s Milagiriya in aid of differently abled children on September 8 at the Russian Cultural Centre, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7 at 6.30 p.m.
Savitri Jayatileka’s award-winning music students
Diploma award winners – Saranga Cooray LTCL (Recital) cello and April Heenatigalle, ATCL (Recital) pianoforte with their teacher Savitri Jayatileka at the Trinity College London prize giving held at the Bishop’s College auditorium recently. The Chief Guest, Ambassador for Vietnam Ms Phan Kieu Thu presented the awards.
2nd term as Commonwealth Countries League president
Nalini Paranavitane seen here with the head of the Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth II was unanimously elected to a second term as President of the Commonwealth Countries League. She has served as President Soroptimist International Colombo and South London Lewisham, and inaugurated a street children project, which is now amalgamated to the ongoing tsunami project in [...]
Run for a healthy heart and mind
On Saturday, September 9 ‘Run to Remember’, the annual event hosted by the Hotel Taj Samudra is back on the calendar of events of the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation to celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day which falls this month. As the whole of September is dedicated to Alzheimer’s, many events have been lined up in Colombo. The [...]
Book launch: Revised edition of Persaudaraan – Malay Life in Sri Lanka”
The revised and enlarged edition of “Persaudaraan – Malay Life in Sri Lanka” by Tuan Zameer Careem (Godage Publishers) will be launched on Wednesday, September 6 at the auditorium of the Sri Lanka College of Surgeons, No.6 Independence Avenue, Colombo 7 at 7p.m. The Chief Guest is Prof. Maithree Wickremasinghe and the guest speaker Dr.K.D.Paranavitana. [...]
Visakha Centenary Campfire on Sept 9
Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo will hold its Centenary Campfire on September 9 from 6 p.m. at Visakha Vidyalaya Grounds. All 11th Colombo Girl Guides and friends are requested to join the campfire. For further information contact Anoja Fernando on 0771673845, Shanta Jayalath on 0773608150, or Chitra Gunasekara on 0715201934.