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Lanka – Japan Friendship Society new office bearers
At a recent ceremony at the Sasakawa Hall, attended by the members of the Lanka Japan Friendship Society (LJFS), diplomats from the Japanese Embassy and members of the Japanese community in Sri Lanka, M.D (Tony) Saldin was formally elected as the19th President of the Society.
The induction ceremony was conducted by outgoing President Merrick Gooneratne in the presence of the Japanese Ambassador Hideaki Mizukoshi.
The following were elected to the EXCO for the year 2023/2024: Patron Hideaki Mizukoshi, Ambassador for Japan, Vice Patrons: Merrick Gooneratne/Immediate past President, Sumana Liyanage, Deepal Gunaratne, Mikinaga Hotta, President: M.D. (Tony) Saldin, Vice Presidents: A. Anandagoda, Jayaraja Chandrasekera, Prof. Gaminda Haegoda, Neomal Perera, Sunitha Wijepala, General Secretary: Samadara Mampitiye, Asst Gen Secretary: Diloshini Nesakumar, General Treasurer: M. Thiyagaraja, Asst Gen Treasurer: R. Kadirgamar Rajah, Executive Committee: Nemantha Abeysinghe, Dhammika Attygale, Dr. Vijaya Corea, Dr. PHP de Silva, Mahendra de Vaz, DARM Nishanthi Galhena, W.I. Gunawardena, Jannath Ismail, Dr, Upali Jayawardena, Brigadier Samantha Jayasundara, Captain Ganesh Mendis,Sarojini Nagendran, Dr. Rohan Pallewatte, Shanil Perera, S.N. Raghavan, Shelly Thenuwara, Manoranjan Wijebahu, Himani Wijemanne.
The Lanka – Japan Friendship Society was formed in the wake of Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, when a few societies were coming up in order to build goodwill and friendship between countries which were well disposed towards Sri Lanka. The Ceylon–Japan Friendship Society as it was originally called, is believed to have been inaugurated around Feb 1966 when Japan was emerging as an industrial nation.
Sir Susantha de Fonseka who was Ceylon’s Ambassador in Japan promoted the idea of establishing this institution, which is now the oldest friendship society in Sri Lanka. Mr. Akira Matsui, the Japanese Ambassador was Sir Susantha’s counterpart in Sri Lanka.
Activities in the early days were confined to irregular meetings of fellowship held in the Embassy of Japan in Colombo. Sir Wilfred de Soysa, an outstanding philanthropist was designated the first President. Mr. Herbert Tennekoon and Sir Sangarapillai Pararajasingham followed and the focus of attention was the mutual friendship and co-operation among its members.
Eminent persons such as Messers Herbert Tennekoon, William Tennekoon, Sir Razik Fareed, Gamini Jayasuriya, Thomas Amarasuriya and Mr. C.X. Martyn involved themselves in matters concerning the society in the early days. Mr. M.D.H. Jayawardena, a Cabinet Minister was decorated with the Order of the Sacred Lotus by the Emperor of Japan, soon after he relinquished office as President of the society.
The Constitution of the Society was formulated by Mr. J.R. Jayewardene. Even after over 60 years the basic constitution was found to be adequate and remains more or less the same.
It was during the presidency of Mr. Ivor Paternott, that prime land down 22nd Lane, Kollupitiya was made available for the construction of the society’s permanent headquarters. This was possible through financial assistance provided by a Japanese millionaire and philanthropist Mr. Ryogi Sasakawa and the building was subsequently named after him.
EXCO and general meetings of the society are held in the numerous committee rooms and auditorium of the Sasakawa Cultural Centre.
(Excerpts from “The Lanka Japan Friendship Society – A historical note” by Fred Medis, Past President in 1960)
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
