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BCIS honours two Lankan stalwarts in International Relations field
The Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) will be honouring late Ambassador Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala for his invaluable contribution to diplomacy and his unwavering commitment to the promotion and safeguarding of Sri Lanka’s national interest, at the convocation of its International Relations Programme 2023 to be held at the BMICH, Colombo, today.
A BCIS press release said: ‘Ambassador Dhanapala’s career in national and international service spanned over half a century as he labored to ensure a safer world for all, even after retirement.
‘He excelled as a diplomat, contributing tangibly to both international norm- setting as well as to nurturing compliant state practice, which encompassed an array of fields, ranging from disarmament to good governance and from human rights to humanitarian affairs. This constructive binary was a striking feature in all of his work—whether it related to his high-profile ambassadorial duties on behalf of Sri Lanka or at a broader level, with issues of global concern at the United Nations, where he rose to the level of an Under Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs.
‘Jayantha Dhanapala was also a great advocate of negotiated outcomes—ideally, consensual ones. He relentlessly strove to bring about such negotiated outcomes in his diplomatic and policy efforts both nationally and internationally. This was also consistent with the reputation of Sri Lanka then, as a valued consensus builder in multilateral diplomacy.
One example of such a negotiated outcome, subsequent to the Law of the Seas success of the 1980s, was the extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at the UN conference of 1995, which remains the only consensus to date on this controversial issue.
‘Ambassador Dhanapala received many accolades and awards for his work, which are too numerous to mention here. And on retirement, he provided leadership and guidance to many prestigious international entities such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (Pugwash) and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) as well as to national ones like Sri Lanka Unites and the Friday Forum.
‘This posthumous honour is conferred on the late Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala in appreciation of his multifaceted contribution to the praxis of International Relations and his unparalleled commitment to global peace and disarmament.
‘The Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), will also honour Ambassador H.M.G.S. Palihakkara in recognition of his significant contribution to the public service of Sri Lanka in a career spanning 38 years at the convocation 2023.
‘In his long and splendid diplomatic career, Ambassador Palihakkara was Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s (2004-2006), Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN (2008-2009) and Ambassador to Thailand accredited concurrently to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam whilst also serving as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Represetative to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (2001-2004). Ambassador Palihakkara has functioned as the Chairman of several UN entities including those of the Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament and International Security, Indian Ocean Peace Zone (IOPZ) and Israeli Practices in Palestine.
‘Earlier on (1996), he functioned as the Director General of Multilateral Affairs in the Foreign Ministry focusing, inter alia, on work relating to preventive diplomacy, peace building, arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.
‘Consequent to his retirement from the Foreign Service, he was appointed a member of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission by the President of Sri Lanka in 2010 and he was appointed as Governor of the Northern Province (2015-2016).
‘Ambassador Palihakkara has given of his knowledge and experience in the spheres of foreign policy, international affairs, peace, security and strategic studies to students and researchers alike of these subject areas as a Visiting Lecturer at several national and regional institutions including the BCIS, the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) and the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International and Strategic Studies (LKISS).’
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
