Queen of elephants
Here acclaimed conservationist Saba Douglas-Hamilton based in Kenya answers some questions of the Sunday Times. Invited to speak at the Galle Literary Festival a few years ago, Saba says she fell in love with Sri Lanka then! This week she and her husband Frank Pope were in Sri Lanka for the 125th anniversary celebrations of [...]
Letters to the Editor
Remember the promise you made to pensioners? Finance Minister Samaraweera stated publicly just before the postal votes were cast and amidst a major election campaign that, by November 8, 2019, all the pensioners will receive the increase sanctioned with effect from 1.7.2019 along with four months of arrears. But it is sad to say that [...]
Appreciations
Of student fun and ELTU days at Pera Uni Aubrey Kuruppu The passing away of our dear friend, colleague and batch-mate Aubrey, came as a great shock to all of us as it was so sudden and totally unexpected. Saturday, October 12 was the scheduled date for our annual batch get-together and we had assembled [...]
Await Cavalleria Rusticana, an opera in one act
Classical music lovers will once again be in for a treat when Barbara Segal Music International together with Menaka De Fonseka Sahabandu presents Pietro Mascagni’s well known opera Cavalleria Rusticana at St Andrew’s Church (Scots Kirk) 73, Galle Road Colombo 3 on November 30 at 7.30 p.m. Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) is an opera in [...]
Silent Hands Productions goes festive with ‘Sorry, Wrong Chimney’
‘Sorry, Wrong Chimney’, is the comic story of a moonlighting husband (David), a suspicious wife (Samantha), inquisitive neighbours (Bill and Natalie), a policeman and a delusional burglar who believes he’s Santa Claus (or is it just part of a ruse?). Originally written by Jack Sharley and produced and directed by Leo Sears, Sorry Wrong Chimney [...]
Something to help you put a name to trees and bushes around you
Sri Lanka has a long tradition of books on trees, albeit biased towards the larger format and expensive end of the publishing spectrum. ‘A Naturalist’s Guide to the Trees of Sri Lanka’ is a portable, affordable, photographic field guide to 125 common trees published by British publisher John Beaufoy Publishing. This book complements their suite [...]
WNPS marks 125 years in grand style
Celebrating its 125th anniversary, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society hosted a gala dinner at the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom on Tuesday. Conservationist Saba Douglas-Hamilton was the keynote speaker and held the audience captive with her tales of the African wilds. WNPS President Sriyan de S. Wijeyeratne and former Sri Lanka cricket captain Mahela Jayewardene, now [...]
A place where love and care bring out hidden talents
The Colombo Centre for Special Education in Colombo 5 is a place that gladdens one’s heart seeing the dedicated work that is done there. The school focuses on creating an environment for its 30 adult male students to be happy among their peers and express themselves creatively. This year their annual sale, called, ‘Market Place [...]
The Commonwealth Countries’ League holds annual fair
The Commonwealth Countries’ League held its annual Commonwealth Fair 2019 at the Kensington Town Hall recently. The fair is in aid of the Commonwealth Girls Education Fund that sponsors girls of ability in Commonwealth countries through their secondary education. The Commonwealth Countries’ League is a 94- year-old charitable organisation that began as the British Dominion [...]
Remembering one of Sri Lanka’s most eminent physiologists K. N. Seneviratne
The Physiological Society of Sri Lanka (PSSL) annually honours the memory of the second Ceylonese Professor of Physiology, Professor K. N. Seneviratne, one of the most eminent physiologists Sri Lanka has ever produced, who had made a momentous contribution to the field of physiology and postgraduate medical education in Sri Lanka. Keerthi Nissanka Seneviratne was [...]
Ruk Rakaganno 44th AGM
The 44th Annual General Meeting of Ruk Rakaganno will be held on Saturday, November 23 at 3.30 p.m at Kithusevana (adjoining the Anglican Cathedral on Baudhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7). It will be followed by a lecture presentation by Vimukthi Weeratunga, Environmental Scientist, titled Tree talk.
Selyn launches Shilpa Kathaa to preserve traditional craft
Selyn, Sri Lanka’s only fair-trade guaranteed handloom company and the National Crafts Council (NCC) of Sri Lanka have joined forces to protect and preserve the rich culture of Sri Lanka’s crafts with the launch of Shilpa Kathaa (The Story of Our Crafts). The inaugural exhibition was held from November 8 to 10, at the Selyn [...]
Sweet dreams are made of sugar and spice
The economic integration of women from the heart of the conflict-affected Northern Province in Sri Lanka is paying rich dividends. Not only have new and improved trades increased family incomes of mostly female-headed households in the local community, but expanding revenue streams have created a wealth of social capital. The ILO’s EMPOWER project with the [...]
Stepping into OGF,the latest buzz in town!
Amidst much anticipatory excitement, Colombo’s newest shopping centre, the One Galle Face Mall opened its doors on November 8. Seen by many as Sri Lanka’s first international level mall, it is already abuzz with non-stop activity with visitors enjoying a variety of shops, brands, restaurants and other attractions. With something for everyone, the seven-storey One [...]
Twinkle shines bright at Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka
Another night of beauty pageant excitement concluded at Galadari Colombo main ballroom on November 7, with Twinkle Goonathilake being crowned as Akshata Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka 2019. Anjuni Hettiarachchi was adjudged the 1st runner-up and Doyel Dawson emerged 2nd runner-up. Akshata, known for its traditional rice varieties, among them its flagship product Suwandel rice, was [...]