Sharing an act of faith, another step in building bridges
The month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan drew to a close yesterday, with all Muslims in Sri Lanka celebrating the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual cleansing and rejuvenation through the practice of fasting, an act that is just one of the religious practices observed during this period. The evening of [...]
Lost in time, the works of a little known artist
His name is little known today but Richard Henricus, the artist, painter and illustrator was a younger contemporary of J.L.K. van Dort. Whatever remains of Henricus’s work, mostly of a religious nature, is to be found in the naves and walls of Catholic churches in Mutwal and Kotahena. But rare examples of murals attributed to [...]
Letters to the Editor
Amendments to Powers of Attorney Act: People need clarity In November last year certain amendments were brought in to strengthen the provisions of legal enactments, amongst other things, relating to Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Act No. 28 of 2002. This amendment has created quite a lot of misconceptions among the legal fraternity relating to the [...]
Appreciations
Like his paternal ancestors he too did his bit for the betterment of society Prof. Hiran D. Dias Prof. Hiran D. Dias passed away at the age of 89 on February 28. He was born on February 25, 1934 in his parental ancestral home in Panadura. His father was Charlie Dias and mother was Freda [...]
When friends came back to a much changed ‘home’
April this year is very auspicious for us in Sri Lanka because our traditional New Year (Aluth Avurudu and Puththandu) as well as the festivals of Easter and Eid-ul-Fitr all take place within this month. In Sri Lanka one does not need to have any religious label attached to oneself to celebrate this month – [...]
Barbara Sansoni – a retrospective: Tribute by family & design team
Barbara Sansoni was a household name in Sri Lanka, her signature handlooms capturing the colours of her island home in vibrant and unusual combinations of checks and stripes, becoming all the rage in any design conscious home or establishment. Yet she was much more than a visionary designer – an artist, writer and heritage enthusiast. [...]
Handwoven ties with a touch of luxury
When investment consultant Indika Hettiarachchi went in search of an elegant batik tie to present to a client as a gift, he was sorely disappointed with the lack of quality ties and men’s accessories available. This realisation led to his present venture making premium luxury ties and other accessories with the establishment of his brand [...]
Teens in focus in new play
PING! Virtually everything is fine – a production by the Stages Youth Ensemble explores how social media and digital dependence have contributed to deteriorating and dysfunctional family relationships. To be staged at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from April 27-29, the play directed by Ruwanthie de Chickera and Lihan Mendis, is set in an apartment complex [...]
An evening with Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner Kanya D’Almeida at Lakmahal
The Lakmahal Community Library in Colombo 3, will host “An evening with Kanya D’Almeida” on April 27 at 6 p.m. Kanya will talk about her writing journey, winning the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, and the experience of moving back to Sri Lanka with fellow writer and publisher, Ameena Hussein. Tickets for the event, priced [...]
Investing in youth who want to change the world for good
Founder of Sri Lanka Unites, Prashan De Visser’s first book, “Phoenix Generation” was launched at the BMICH Cinema Lounge on March 30. The recipient of the Commonwealth Point of Light award, Prashan was inspired to write the book while reading for his Master’s at the University of Notre Dame, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. [...]
A life dedicated to social justice and faith
Bishop Rayappu Joseph was the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Mannar from 1992 to 2016. He was known for his outspoken stance on human rights issues, particularly in relation to the civil war in the country. A strong advocate for the rights of Tamil civilians affected by the conflict, he spoke out against human [...]