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Eight prominent women share their insights to rebuild Sri Lanka’s future : International Women’s Day
The third chapter of iLead – an International Women’s Day event jointly organised by NextGenSL and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom – was held at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, on Friday.
The event was held for the third consecutive year and it featured eight prominent women, from diverse industries and sectors. They were given the opportunity to speak for eight minutes on “what they would do differently if they were given the opportunity to lead the country”.
The eight women featured at the panel event were Sabrina Esufally, Managing Director, Hemas Consumer Brands, Suhani Kariyawasam Pathirana, Vice President of the Sri Lanka Central Federation of the Deaf, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Vice Captain of the Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket team, Bhoomi Harendran from the National Transgender Network Trust, Dr. Shemoon Marleen, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Chani Imbulgoda, Deputy Registrar of the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Dinusha Jayamanne, General Manager Human Resources at Brandix, and Niranjani Shanmugaraja, actress and media personality.
Sabrina Esufally, opening the forum, stressed the need for better budgetary allocations for education, increasing female labour participation, government expenditure reduction and policy reforms for State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
Suhani Kariyawasam Patrhirana, who shared her views representing the differently-abled population, highlighted the need for equal access to education for her community, which would, in return, give them ample opportunities to contribute to the economic growth of the country.
Oshadhi Ranasinghe, one of the prominent sports personalities in Sri Lanka, stressed the importance of enhancing the sports sector, through enhanced female participation. In her speech, she focused on the importance of implementing social security measures for sportswomen as it would encourage more women to pursue their prospects in the sports arena.
The highlight of Bhoomi Harendran’s speech was the need for creating an inclusive society where differences and diversity are embraced. She said one’s sexual orientation should not be a measure to determine how that person is treated in society. She spoke of standing for humanity which will usher in a better and safer future for all.
Dr. Marleen spoke for fair reproductive health and creating a culture of family planning in Sri Lanka, while Chani Imbulgoda expressed her views on addressing critical issues, such as process and system development in the country, how technocrats, experts and professionals should be brought in to manage Sri Lanka.
Dinusha Jayamanne, a vastly experienced professional in the human resource management, talked about digital education for all and ensuring financial stability for women – a key component of Sri Lanka’s apparel sector.
Niranjani Shanmugaraja, an award-winning actress, talked about measures to create an empowered nation. “Reconciliation cannot be achieved by mere words or pledges. It can only be achieved through action. Action speaks louder than words. I would like to ask this audience if they truly want to elect a person like me – a Tamil woman hailing from a normal family – as the President of Sri Lanka,” she asked.
Wolfgang Heinze, the Country Head of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Sri Lanka, said the main objective of the event was to demonstrate the manner in which women will lead if given access to decision-making platforms and adequate opportunities in governance. Delivering the closing remarks, NextGenSL core team member Lihini Fernando said the event would convince the key decision-makers as to why there should be measures to meaningfully address the underrepresentation of women in politics.
A number of young political figures, from the main political parties, are currently working with NextGenSL, in various capacities, and its main objective is to drive positive youth engagement in politics and work towards addressing challenges that prevent young people — both men and women — from actively engaging in politics. It also seeks to facilitate a healthy political culture and an inclusive platform where diverse political views could be discussed in an amicable manner.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
