The Treasure Chest was not only of 127 Gold medals, but also70 Silver and 15 Bronze. The students of Hejaaz International School took it in their stride to perfect the discipline of art they were performing, with vigour and satisfaction, as it came as second nature to them to beat all other prominent schools in the Greater Colombo District. Furthermore, not stopping there, they also went on to seize eight Top Places in the Country in their respective performances in the Grand Finals. An achievement that will go down in the annals of the School’s memoirs as laurels to remember in the future.

Nifal Nalir, Tharik Moulana, Ilman Iqbal with Teacher Ms. Aaysha Ifthikar

Kadeeja Khan Riyana Rifkhaz, Manal Ilthizam, Farah Imtiyaz, Sumaiyah A.Malik With Teacher Ms. Aaysha Ifthikar

The recently held ‘Sri Lanka Festival of performing Arts’, an annual British based all island competition that is affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals For Music, Dance And Speech (BIFF) of which Her Majesty the Queen of England is Patron, saw a great number of schools participating, from all parts of the country. This event is annually organised by the Institute of Music, Speech and Speaking skills (pvt) Ltd . The Sri Lanka festival of Arts is based on the British standards of the Performing Arts with the Patron being His Excellency the British High Commissioner. The event was held at the Tourist Board Auditorium in Colombo. This year’s Adjudicators were Mr. Philip Thrupp- LGSM, LLAM, NDD, Cer GSMD, FRSA, Hon FIEMS and Ms. Meave O'Donahughe.

The performing Arts is a discipline that is inculcated into the participants psyche at an early age so that the participant either embraces it to extract every bit of enjoyment from it or decides it is not for them. In speaking so, the students of Hejaaz have obviously decided for the better to enjoy the incisive pleasures of the Art of Culture in the English language and the proof of the pudding was the runaway victory this year. This type of Art is now catching on, though in diversified disciplines very much localized to indigenous straits. Then again, to maintain the heritage of the British manner of Performance in Arts in the English language, it is now being resurrected and made popular with more awareness, as the dwindling popularity created a vacuum of its absence. Thus, Schools country wide are taking up the discipline with enthusiasm.

The teacher too is an important part of the subject. The dedication, the patience, the insight, and the motivation with the love of the discipline have to be the characteristics that is required of the Instructor.
Thus, Ms. Aaysha Ifthikar the Elocution and Speech Training teacher of Hejaaz International School won two awards at the event for ‘Teacher with the Highest Number of Gold Medals Produced’ and Teacher with the Highest Number of Entries’ in the District of Greater Colombo. Needless to say that she too is a prize winner from year to year.

It is a policy of the School to leave no stone unturned in securing the best teachers to educate their students to become world class citizens valued in any profession. The School is in its eighteenth successful year with a Boys Section located in Mount Lavinia and the Girls Section in Dehiwala.
The eight Country Top Winners at The Festival from Hejaaz International School are, Tharik Moulana, Nifal Nalir, Ilman Iqbal, Riyana Rifkhaz, Manal Ilthizam, Farah Imtiyaz, Sumaiyah A.Malik and Kadeeja Khan.