Ring, ring: It’s time for English on Skype
Around 4.15 p.m. the tell-tale sound of the Skype ringtone is heard in their simple ‘ICT lab’ and a few of the older children from the Sudhaar programme gather around a laptop. “Good morning,” they happily chorus to the children on the other side of the screen for whom it is still morning. The children [...]
Letters to the Editor
BBC, do not judge us by your double standards The 2019 Presidential election has just been concluded.The international election monitors have confirmed that this was the most peaceful and trouble-free elections held in this country. In a sad twist of irony however, was the BBC broadcast following the election gave the world a completely biased [...]
Appreciations
My brother, best friend and guide Rev. Fr. Elmo Dias My younger brother Fr. Elmo Dias passed away three months ago on August 14 after a few years of illness which he silently bore. He was called to rest in the Lord at the age of 67. Elmo was the eighth in a family of [...]
Head to the Christmas Charity Bazaar at GFH today!
The Spa Ceylon International Christmas Charity Bazaar 2019 is on today from 11 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. at the Galle Face Hotel and it’s a sale that you don’t want to miss as treats, gifts and goodies from across the globe could be yours to purchase and enjoy. The Sunday Times had a little sneak [...]
Young voices speak up for change
Sri Lanka delegation spells out country’s focus on sexual and reproductive health and mental wellbeing of young people. Smriti Daniel reports from Nairobi Day 1 of the Nairobi Summit and the International Conference on Population & Development is underway. The Summit, co-convened by the governments of Kenya and Denmark with UNFPA, the United Nations sexual [...]
A “Shall-win” way of life
I was seven (maybe eight) when we had the first of our holidays in the Deniyaya hills, and the memories – however vague – live on in a haze of happiness, although I have not visited Panilkanda Estate in Deniyaya, since I was married over 55 years ago. That first visit led to several more [...]
Examining people through the lens
Wielding a stethoscope or peering into a microscope during his duty hours as a dedicated doctor, the minute he has leisure, it is the camera that he slings around his neck, for he feels that amidst the people he ‘captures’, he also finds himself. Coming all the way from his home in Northampton, United Kingdom, [...]
‘Freddy 4: Get Rich Quick’: Mixed feelings about a good night out at the theatre
In the last two years ‘Freddy’, Feroze Kamardeen’s standup comedy baby, has grown into a big mega production that’s taken on the ‘aiyos’ of Sri Lankan society and spun it into comedy gold. A twist on its predecessors, ‘Freddy 4: Get Rich Quick!’ premiered in the midst of election fever and capitalized on the foibles [...]
Lilac unveils a bold modern woman’s world
Lilac- Yesha Fernando’s 96-paged mishmash of short poetry and prose in Sinhala- has the tang of a good translation (Russian? French? Italian? Galician?)- sparkling with references to black velvet whiskey and Morning Glories and Wild Irises. The young poet, who has never left the palm-fringed shores of her island, takes us to the heart of [...]
That Christmassy feel with a twist
The Christmas season is nearly upon us and this time around, Soundscope will bring the special joys that Christmas music imparts with their concert ‘Christmas Is Here’ that will take place on Sunday, December 1 from 7 p.m. at the Russian Cultural Centre. The lineup for the evening includes vocalists Sheaam Dean, Melissa Pereira and [...]
One-stop shop to grab artisan Christmas gifts
An Affair with Craft by Sureni is a needlework, craft and artisan-ware sale that will be held on Saturday, November 30 at the Girls’ Friendly Society Hall from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. In focus, will be her tribute to the resurgence of the art of patchwork in a lovely array of quilts in various [...]
National Trust lecture on traditional dance costumes
The National Trust of Sri Lanka’s lecture on Thursday, November 28, will be on the “Traditional dance costumes of Sri Lanka and the art of Somabandhu Vidyapathy” by Kala Keerthi Ravibandu Vidyapathy. This will be the 122nd session of the Trust’s monthly lecture series. It will be held at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB [...]
Of dung beetles and leopards
A lecture on ‘Of dung beetles and leopards: sharing experiences on research applications for conservation’ by Dr. Enoka P. Kudavidanage, a senior lecturer of the University of Sabaragamuwa will be held at 6.30 p.m. tomorrow (November 25) at the auditorium of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA), 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha, Colombo 7. Organised [...]
RASSL lecture: Emergence of Bhikkhuni Sasana in ancient Lanka
The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) public lecture on “The Emergence of Bhikkhuni Sasana (Order) and its Vicissitudes in Ancient Sri Lanka” by Dr. Malini Dias, Vice President, Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka and former Deputy Commissioner of Archaeology will be at 5 p.m. tomorrow, ( November 25) at the Gamini Dissanayake [...]
Don’t miss the annual Lanka Mahila Samiti sale
Lanka Mahila Samiti will hold their popular annual handicraft sale on Tuesday, November 26 at the Lionel Wendt Gallery from 10 a.m to 5.30 p.m The sale has become a looked-forward-to event where Colombo shoppers get the opportunity to purchase the creations of the Samithi members and support the revival of traditional cottage crafts. On [...]
GFS sale: Bigger and brighter
The annual Pre-Christmas Sale organized by the Girls’ Friendly Society will be held on Friday, November 29 from 8 a.m. onwards at the GFS Hall, Green Path, Colombo 3. This year’s sale promises to be bigger and brighter with a whole host of miscellaneous items for the season available at bargain prices. Christmas goodies, gift [...]
Joan Forbes back with her X’mas decor sale
Flower expert Joan Forbes and her daughter Karen, are back with their Xmas décor sale on November 30 and December 1, at 24 A, De Silva Road, Kalubowila. The mother and daughter duo return to the exhibition scene after a lapse of many years . “We haven’t held a sale for a long time as [...]
Taking viewers on a journey of the beauty of Sri Lanka
Beautyis born in the imagination. “Imagine”, an exhibition of works by Rhuani Rambukwella and 34 students from her art school, Hardy Centre of Art, on at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre this weekend, spotlights the beauty of Sri Lanka. ‘Imagine’ is about Sri Lanka, says Rhuani, who is showing 30 of her own works at [...]