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Kadira Divyaraja 100 – day celebration
A press conference on Kadira Divyaraja 100-day celebration was held recently at the Hotel Sapphire, marking the successful public screening of the cinematic creation for over 100 days. The head table included Senior Prof Sunil Ariyarathne, the movie director, Dr. Ravi Liyanage, movie producer and Chairman of Raigam Group of Companies, Kishan Theodore, Managing Director of Raigam Group of Companies, and Kaveesha Theodore, Assistant Manager of Deveni 01 Brand.
The Kadira Divyaraja film has undeniably made history in the Sri Lankan cinema by achieving a highly successful 100 days of public screening, netting over Rs 275 million. Notably, the film received awards at Safal Fest 2023 in Australia and was awarded as the “Most Popular Film of the Year” at the British Way Popular Awards 2023.
Conceived by Senior Prof Sunil Ariyarathne, Kadira Divyaraja has breathed new life into the 75-year-old Sri Lankan cinema, offering a refreshing change. Dr. Ravi Liyanage, leveraging the strength of the Raigam Group, supported the film by presenting the product ‘Raigam Deveni 1,’ a 100% rice noodle product that aligns with the film’s theme.
The film’s screening in 75 centres across the country consistently drew full houses during weekend shows. To commemorate the 50th day of successful screening of the film, a series of religious ceremonies, including Aashirwada Pooja and a Dhamma Discourse, were organised at the Katharagama Kiri Vehera and Katharagama Devala premises on Sept 29. This meritorious activity, supported by Raigam Deveni 1, was attended by leading actors and artistes, invoking blessings on Sinhala Cinema.
On the same day, the Kadira Divyaraja movie crew donated Rs 2 million from the movie’s profit to Apeksha Cancer Hospital for the construction of a four-storied building for the children’s ward.
The film crew initially planned to cease screening after 100 days, but due to special requests from film hall owners and audiences, they decided to continue screening it in selected film halls.
The event concluded with the Kadira Divyaraja team cutting a celebration cake, expressing gratitude to audience, film hall owners, Kadira Divyaraja film cast, consumers of Deveni 01 – 100% rice noodles, and Raigam staff who contributed to the film’s success.
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
