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Chinese Ambassador: ‘Promises must be kept’
Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong has declared that in spite of major changes in the political scene here and elsewhere, the overall China-Sri Lanka foreing releations remain the same.Ambassador Zhenhong said so in the East during a two-day visit (Sept 5 and 6), his second to the region within 3 months. The top Chinese envoy was accompanied by his wife Jin Qian.
The Chinese Embassy quoted Ambassador Zhenhong as having said: “Over the past three months, there have been many major changes in Sri Lanka and the world. But we are pleased to see that the overall situation of China-Sri Lanka traditional friendship and the momentum of common development have not changed. The mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual support between our two countries and the two peoples have not changed either. The main reason is because our bilateral friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.”
Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met with Governor of Eastern Province Anuradha Yahampath at the latter’s secretariat in Trincomalee on the afternoon of 5th Sept. The embassy quoted the envoy as having told Yahampath: “Promises must be kept, and action must be resolute”.
The Ambassador has updated the officials on the progress of China’s assistance following his previous visit 3 months ago. The Ambassador also highlighted that encouraged by the embassy and invited by the EP government together with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, some Chinese enterprises had visited Trincomalee Port recently to explore future cooperation.
Following the meeting, Ambassador Qi handed over 22 Smart Boards (75-inch & 65-in, worth LKR 21 million) for distance education to the principals of 20 schools across the Eastern Province. The program was funded by China’s Yunnan Provincial Government as a follow-up of its food packages donation (worth LKR 55 million) to 10,000 needy families from EP in May. Witnessed by the Ambassador and Governor Yahampath, Chief Secretary of Eastern Province Mr. Thusitha Wanigasinghe and Director of Yunnan Commercial Office in Sri Lanka Mr. Hu Kai signed a MOU to provide 70 sets of solar streetlight systems (worth LKR 13 million) to schools in the Eastern Province by Yunnan.
On the morning of 6th, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Madam Jin Qian visited the Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Eastern University in Batticaloa and handed over Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship (a total of LKR 4.3 million) to 150 students (mainly girls) from underprivileged families of all ethnicities in the University to help their study and daily life for up to 7 months. Professor Vallipuram Kanagasingam, Vice Chancellor of Eastern University and Dr. K.E. Karunakaran, Deputy Vice Chancellor together with deans, teachers, students and their parents attended the event.
In his keynote speech, the Chinese Envoy talked to the Sri Lankan youth.
As a conclusion, Ambassador Qi pointed out that “Youth is the future of a country and the future of the friendship between two countries. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka, and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact. I sincerely wish all the students to study hard, grow strong, and become new backbone of Sri Lanka and China-Sri Lanka friendship as soon as possible.”
On the afternoon of 6th, Ambassador Qi and the delegates from the Chinese embassy were invited by the Batticaloa District Civil Society to visit Kaluwankerni, an underdeveloped Tamil fishing village in Batticaloa which has been suffering from domestic conflicts, natural disasters, Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis. After laying a foundation stone for a housing scheme funded by the embassy for 10 most needy families in Kaluwankerni, the Chinese Ambassador talked to about 50 villagers representatives gathering at the ceremony and stressed it is his duty as Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka to strengthen friendly cooperation with all ethnic groups in the Eastern Province. “China will, as always, provide all-out help for Sri Lanka to get out of current difficulties.” said Qi.
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
