News
The Alliance Francaise, back on its feet and stronger than ever
Founded in 1954, with the objective promoting French culture and language, the Alliance Francaise in Si Lanka, boasts a network of five independent campuses in Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Matara, and Jaffna. After a tumultuous recent history, Alliance Francaise of Kotte in Colombo is now poised to start a new era by reclaiming its true-self in a spectacular homecoming to its beautiful and historic campus at No. 11, Barnes Place, Colombo 7.
The Alliances in Sri Lanka are a part of a much larger community. The first of the international network of over 800 Alliances, was founded in 1884 in Paris under the patronage of prominent historical figures such as Louis Pasteur and Jules a Verne and it is today, the largest network Of cultural and French language training Centres in the world, teaching French to more than 470 000 students in all five Continents.
The Alliance Francaise is multi-faceted. It is a cultural centre, a language Centre and an examination centre for internationally recognised French proficiency tests, a media centre, a translations centre, and a higher-education information centre for those who wish to study in France.
As a cultural centre, the Alliance Française de Kotte (AFKo) organises events throughout the year to promote a meaningful exchange between Sri Lankan and French cultures, bringing the best of France to the local population, involving both the local and expat communities. These include concerts, exhibitions, movie screenings, poetry recitals, etc.
As a language centre, the AFKo, offers range of courses at all levels using modern teaching methodology and facilities both online and on-site. The interest in French is on the rise not only because of its inherent charm and prestige, but also because it is opening to the French culture and the cultures of the French speaking world, because it is a doorway to the affordable higher studies in the high-quality engineering institutes, business and administration schools in France, and for migration to French-speaking countries. As a part of the services provided by the Language Centre, both internal and external students have the facility of taking DELF-DALF and TEF exams to obtain internationally recognised French language proficiency certifications.
The AFKo media centre boasts a collection of over 16,000 documents, books, reviews, French learning materials, classical French literature, novels, comics, magazines, children’s books, etc., as well as 400,000 items of digital material related to the French culture and language including CDs, audio books, DVDs, French TV (TV5 Monde). It is to the go-to place in Colombo for those French speaking and learning bibliophiles to lose themselves in the welcoming atmosphere of a true library setting. Exclusively open to the Alliance Francaise students and members of the library, the AFKo media centre also offers a range of activities: conferences, cinema, games nights, etc.
Apart from the above facilities, AFKo provides reliable translation services and free counselling for those who wish to pursue their higher studies in France.Come join the Alliance Francaise either as a member or as a student to be part of an enriching cultural and social experience!
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
