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Oblates re-enter field of education in Anuradhapura
By Fr. Emmanuel Fernando OMI
May 15, 2024, is an unforgettable day in the history of the Oblates in Sri Lanka since it was on that day the foundation stones were blessed and laid for the construction of the new Mazenod College at Sravasti Pura, Anuradhapura. The day began at 10.30 a.m with the prayer recited by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando OMI, invoking God to bless the Foundation stones for the construction of the new College.
On that occasion Fr. Shane de Rosairo, OMI, the Vice-Rector of Mazenod College, in his welcome speech said: “I am delighted to see that we are joined by a wide array of esteemed guests and well-wishers in our audience this morning, who truly add joy and colour to the ambience of this glorious occasion. It is indeed a Red-letter day for Mazenod College family of Anuradhapura as this this day will go down in history of Sri Lanka as a quantum leap in the journey that Mazenod College has been treading so far since its humble inauguration at Rajabima Oblate Centre, Anuradhapura, on January 7 in 2019.” He pointed out that Mazenod College at Anuradhapura , the brain-child of the Oblate Congress held in September 2018, is an actualization of the timely need for holistic education felt by the Oblates in Sri Lanka, making a comeback to the field of education in Sri Lanka.
Batagolle Pangnarathna Thero, Teacher of Presidents; College and of Jayanthi Temple, speaking at the function of the Blessing and Laying the Foundation Stone of the new Mazenod College at Anuradhapura said he very much appreciated the spirit and the attitude of Fr. Dileepa Jayamaha OMI in the way he assists the Buddhist children studying at Mazenod College, by his insistence on attending Daham Pasala in the temples.
Bishop Norbert Andradi OMI, in his speech, mentioned that the Catholic Church continues to impart education to children of all Religions through their Schools and that the Holy Family Sisters and the Oblates had been pioneers in this field already in Anuradhapura many years ago through their schools namely Holy Family Convent (which is now Swarnapali Balika Vidyalaya) and through St. Joseph’s College. Bishop Norbert mentioned that the Catholic schools insist also on discipline and good behaviour in the students.
Bishop Norbert Andradi recited the prayers and blessed the foundation stones for the construction of the buildings of Mazenod College and they were laid by Fr. Roshan Silva, the Provincial Superior, Bishop Norbert Andradi, the Bishop of Anuradhapura, Batagolle Pangnarathna Thero, Frs. James Jayasinghe, the Vice-Provincial of the Oblates of Colombo, Anton Grecian OMI, the Provincial Treasurer. Among the others who laid foundation stones were: Frs. Shane de Rozayro OMI, Emmanuel Fernando OMI, Alec Roy Fernando, the Vicar General of the diocese of Anuradhapura, Sr. Irene Fernando, Sr. Mala Fernando HF, Major T.R.C.S Thennakoon, 212 Infantry Bridge, Mr Rasike Melroy Vasana (our contractor, Chief Engineer RDA), Major General Nishantha Manage, Mr. Shiroman Joison, Deputy Principal, Gateway College, Negombo,Mr. Punchirala Rathnayake, the President of farmers Association.
Fr. Dileepa Jayamaha OMI, the Rector of Mazenod College in his ‘Thanksgiving speech’, said classes began on 07 January, 2019 with 33 children and three teachers in the Rajabima Oblate Centre, at Jayanthi Mawatha, Anuradhapura. Fr. Dileepa noted that the Oblates had been committed to the education of children in Sri Lanka since 1847. For example, the Oblates began St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna, St. Henry’s College at Ilavalai, in the Northern Province, St. Joseph’s College at Anuradhapura, St. Joseph’s College at Trincomalee and also De Mazenod College,Kandana and St. Joseph’s College, St. Peter’s College , and Aquinas University in Colombo. Mindful of the Oblate contribution to education of children in the past, the Oblates at a Congress in 2018 decided to recommence their commitment to education of children.
Having recommenced education at Mazenod College, our Oblate Superiors with foresight bought a spacious plot of land to promote holistic education. Unfortunately, the Oblates had to face some difficulties about that plot of land. In sorting out the difficulties with the various Departments, Buddha Sasana and Christian Affairs Ministry, several Government Departments and the Farmers’ Society of Sravasti Pura, Anuradhapura had been of great assistance to obtain the needed authorization from the Agrarian Department in November 2023. Fr. Dileepa said that he was very grateful to all the members in the above-mentioned Government Ministries, the Departments and to the members of the Farmers’ Society. He was very grateful also to Bishop Norbert Andradi OMI for his kind assistance.
Fr. Dileepa Jayamaha OMI was very grateful also to the Venerable Buddhist monks, our neighbours and the parents of our students for the trust they have placed in us. Rooted in such a loving trust, we promise to be faithful.
At present, there are 378 students (boys and girls), of whom 297 Buddhists, 44 Catholics, 21 Christians, 14 Muslims and two Hindus. Having children at Mazenod College, Anuradhapura, representing all our Religions in Sri Lanka, He said, “We commit ourselves to journey together, in a spirit of affection and solidarity in our apostolate of holistic education, embodying sports and other useful skills. To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, everyone’s cooperation is needed.”
Concluding his speech, Fr. Dileepa thanked the Venerable monks who were present, R and V Construction Company Mr and Mrs Rasike Melroy and their trustworthy workers, Duminda Pathirana and co-workers, the priests, the Religious Sisters, the Rev. Brothers, the teachers, the parents and the students.
Very Rev. Fr. Roshan Silva OMI, the Provincial Superior of the Oblates of Colombo Province addressing the audience praised the untiring commitment of Fr. Dileepa Jayamaha OMI to the apostate of education of the children through Mazenod College since its inception in 2019. He praised the collaborative spirit of Fr.
Shane de Rosayro OMI. He mentioned that it was during administration of the former Oblate Provincial Council that Fr. Irwin Morais OMI, the Provincial and Fr. Christy Silva OMI, the Oblate treasurer, that this project was initiated and that he, as Oblate Provincial together with his Councillors, is committed to the realization of this project.The beautiful dances and the songs of the students on stage captured the attention of the audience which responded with a big ovation.
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
