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Lankan monks seek Dalai Lama’s visit, blessings to overcome economic crisis
New Delhi:A group of high-ranking Sri Lankan Buddhist Monks, who were on a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya recently, is now seeking His Holiness Dalai Lama’s visit to Sri Lanka, which is reeling under a severe economic crisis.
They met the Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in Bodh Gaya, on December 27, and were overwhelmed by witnessing a large gathering at the holy city.
Most Venerable Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Mahanayake Thera, Mahanayake Thera, Sri Sambuddha Sasanodaya Sangha Sabha, told ANI, in an interview, “His Holiness came to India and people should know why he came to India. Why he settled down in India? India helped His Holiness, and now because of His Holiness, we know thousands of tourists are in Bodh Gaya.”
He added: “These days, Bodh Gaya is very cold and people usually don’t come, but people are there because of His Holiness. Bodh Gaya is benefitted in many ways. Is Tibet benefitted? We should think about this part also.”
The high-ranking monk wished the Dalai Lama to visit Sri Lanka and help to overcome the economic hardships his country has been facing currently.
“I believe, like His Holiness has been to Bodh Gaya. If he goes to Sri Lanka, many thousands of tourists will come to Sri Lanka which will boost the economy because we are in a crisis situation. And, if His Holiness goes to Sri Lanka, many tourists will come here similar to Bodh Gaya. We will be blessed and the economy will also be boosted”, he said.
Most Ven Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thera, Chief Prelate of Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya, was also overwhelmed to meet the Dalai Lama.
He said, “His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader and we were very happy to meet him there. We have an understanding of spiritual activities. So, the Maha Sangha from Sri Lanka is happy to see what his Holiness is doing”.
Ven. Muruddeniya Dhammarathana, Thera of the Asgiri Chapter, said, “Actually we are very happy, Bodh Gaya is like our motherland because the Buddha got enlightenment there. This is not my first-time visit. I have visited 2-3 times before. Especially yesterday and the day before yesterday there was an important event, we were lucky to meet his holiness Dalai Lama and a lot of Lamas and monks from different parts of the world”.
He added, “We saw thousands of people there, especially to listen to his holiness Dalai Lama’s speech. We were very happy seeing and listening to his teaching and again we were so lucky to come and worship the holy Bodhi tree. I think this is a very good chance we are here”.
Sri Lanka is still recovering from an unprecedented financial crisis it faced in 2022 that also sparked political turmoil in the island nation. India extended much-needed help to a neighbor in need by providing financial assistance of nearly 4 billion USD during the year.
The high-ranking Sri Lankan Buddhist Monks on their visit to India thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the help and also sought the blessings of their spiritual leader HH Dalai Lama to overcome the challenges. (ANI)
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
