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Harin says Lanka ready to welcome tourists in coming winter season
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando has assured the UK travel industry that the government was taking steps to overcome the current difficulties. Addressing senior British representatives, Minister Fernando has also highlighted the investment opportunities in the Sri Lankan hospitality and tourism sector.
The Foreign Ministry quoted Minister Fernando as having said that Sri Lanka would be ready to welcome tourists during the winter holiday season this year as groundwork was being undertaken as per the contingency plan prepared by the Tourism Ministry.
The following is the text of the statement: Minister of Tourism Harin Fernando who was in London recently met the UK travel industry on 16 June 2022 at the High Commission of Sri Lanka. The promotional event which was organised by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, was timely in the backdrop of the removal on 11 June of the advice against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka by the UK Government. Over 60 UK travel industry leaders including tour operators, travel associations, travel media, and representatives of airlines and the hospitality sector attended the event. The UK has been the 2nd largest origin of inbound tourists to Sri Lanka.
Delivering the welcome address, High Commissioner Saroja Sirisena stated that Sri Lanka has been a resilient country which has overcome difficult situations. Sri Lanka relies on its allies’ support to promote Sri Lanka as ‘The next holiday destination’. What Sri Lanka offers is something unique that taps into the sixth sense of the traveller. Once in Sri Lanka, a traveller experiences a little bit of Sri Lankanness that they take away with them.
Minister (Commercial) of the High Commission Dr. Lakmini Mendis introduced the three special speakers of the event, , Head of Commercial at the Association of Independent Tour Operators in the UK (AITO) Bharat Gadhoke, Founder Editor of the Wanderlust Magazine Lynn Hughes, and Vice President Experience of Lonely Planet Tom Hall.
Bharat Gadhoke stated that specialist travellers consider unique countries like Sri Lanka to visit, as there is an extensive list of activities a traveller can engage in. He assured that the AITO stands ready to promote Sri Lanka among the UK travellers as done in the past. Lynn Hughes explained that Wanderlust Magazine has been considering Sri Lanka as one of the most popular destinations among their readership since the start of the magazine and it was proven by last year’s Wanderlust Awards where Sri Lanka was selected as one of the top 10 destinations of travellers’ choice.
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
