Life style
The unusual, traditional First Lady
The First Lady has largely steered clear of the political fray
Melania Trump addressed the second night of the 2020 Republican National Convention on Tuesday, calling on the US to think to reflect on “racial unrest in our country”. It was a rare – and possibly reluctant – step into the spotlight for the First Lady.
In 1998, Donald Trump, already fabulously wealthy and charismatic but possessed of a still ordinary-looking head of hair, was probably used to getting a phone number when he asked.
But when the property mogul tried it on that year with a young model, at a party in New York, he couldn’t quite close the deal. “I am not giving you my number,” countered 28-year-old Melania Knavs. “You give me yours, and I will call you.”
Fast-forward seven years and the pair tied the knot in a star-studded bash at his Florida estate. Fast-forward again and Mrs Trump is now the First Lady of the United States. But who is she?
A ‘traditional’ First Lady
Glamorous and entirely devoted to her husband and his success, Mrs Trump, 50, has been cast as a kind of retro presidential spouse, a modern-day Jackie Kennedy.
When Mr Trump first hinted at tilting for the top office, in 1999, she told reporters: “I would be very traditional, like Betty Ford or Jackie Kennedy.”
But there are ways in which she has been a less-than-traditional First Lady: she is the first to have previously posed nude for a magazine.
During the last presidential race, supporters of Ted Cruz – Mr Trump’s rival for the Republican nomination in 2016 – seized on her work as a model, overlaying an image of her posing naked with the warning: “Meet Melania Trump, your next First Lady. Or you could vote for Ted Cruz”.
Early in 2016, a lewd phone interview with Mr and Mrs Trump by shock-jock radio presenter Howard Stern resurfaced, in which Mr Stern quizzed Mrs Trump about what she was wearing (“almost nothing”) and how often she had sex with Mr Trump (“every night, sometimes more”), and described her to Mr Trump as “that broad in your bed”. The interview prompted accusations of misogyny.
Mrs Trump has also sued the Daily Mail over an article she claims implies that she was a sex worker in the 1990s. The newspaper agreed to pay damages and apologised to the First Lady in April 2017.
Her treatment has been compared by some commentators to “slut-shaming” – the practice of attacking women over certain ways of dressing or acting.
From Slovenia to New York
Mrs Trump was born Melanija Knavs in Sevnica, a small town about an hour’s drive from Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, to a relatively well-off family. Her father Viktor worked for the mayor of nearby Hrastnik before becoming a successful car salesman. Her mother, Amalija, designed prints for a fashion brand.
Melania studied design and architecture in Ljubljana. It was claimed on her professional website that she held a degree, but it later emerged that she dropped out during her first year. The website was eventually scrubbed entirely and redirected to Mr Trump’s business site.
What was Melania Trump like in Slovenia?
At 18, she signed with a modelling agency in Milan and began flying around Europe and the US, appearing in high-profile ad campaigns. It was at a party at New York Fashion week that she met Mr Trump.
Like her husband, she never drinks, according to reports, and shies away from late-night parties. She had her own branded jewellery business and was reportedly involved in the design process.
The pair married in 2005 and had a son, Barron, in 2006.
She did not initially move in to the White House with her husband after his election victory, remaining in New York until the end of Barron’s school term before joining the president in Washington in 2017.
Since moving in she has helped out with the annual White House Christmas decorations.
First Lady Melania Trump reveals White House Christmas decorations
Mrs Trump has apparently squared her background with her husband’s attacks on immigration – declaring that she did everything by the book.
“It never crossed my mind to stay here without papers,” she told Harpers Bazaar. “You follow the rules. You follow the law. Every few months you need to fly back to Europe and stamp your visa.”
In July 2020, a statue of the First Lady in her native Slovenia – which some compared to a character from The Smurfs – was set alight, prompting a police investigation.
‘Policies are my husband’s job’
Mrs Trump has largely steered clear of the political fray, confining her appearances to standing by her husband’s side. “I chose not to go into politics and policy,” she said in a 2016 interview with GQ. “Those policies are my husband’s job.”
Her one big moment of the 2016 campaign came when she took centre stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention in July for the traditional spousal speech, and it did not go well.
Commentators quickly noticed remarkable similarities with Michelle Obama’s convention speech in 2008, and the ensuing plagiarism scandal overshadowed what she had to say.
In 2018 she generated huge controversy after wearing a jacket with the words “I really don’t care, do you?” written on the back on a trip to a migrant child detention centre.
There was intense media speculation about why Melania Trump chose to wear the jacket after her trip
“It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticising me,” she later told ABC news. “I want to show them I don’t care.”
Despite these incidents she remains something of an unknown quantity compared with her predecessors. According to GQ, she does advise her husband, but is tight-lipped about what that consists in.
“Nobody knows and nobody will ever know,” she said. “Because that’s between me and my husband.”–BBC
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
Life style
He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
…….
The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
