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Mangala’s Freedom Hub to relaunch in Matara to empower youth
Freedom Hub is the final project of the late Mangala Samaraweera. Launched a month before his untimely passing from COVID in August 2021, the long-time liberal-democratic champion unexpectedly stepped back from parliamentary politics and aligned himself instead with youth advocates, change-maker creatives, entrepreneurs and innovative professionals.
Mangala, who foretold much of Sri Lanka’s current crisis before his passing, also believed strongly that the way out & forward from Sri Lanka’s cyclical history of crises was in partnership with youth. After all, it is their futures that are most at stake in the challenges ahead.
And as a once brilliant fashion designer and design teacher at University of Kelaniya himself, Mangala’s conception of Freedom Hub as a digital & creative content & skills development and collaboration hub based on the ‘20 Values of a ‘Radical Centre’, spoke to his cognizance of how creativity & freedom of expression are vital & vibrant tools for the communication of people’s needs, struggles, and hopes. More so they are one of the fundamental modes through which people imagine & craft the opportunities & world they hope for.
The Freedom Hub relaunch in Matara in 2023 will be led by a team of youth who have worked across branding & arts & the SME sector, and are supported by Mangala’s family & friends. This team has been in Matara since October, listening to the ground-level needs & aspirations based on which they have crafted a ‘Creative Enterprise’ programme – aiming at bringing together activities that foster & broaden a creative mindset & expression together with entrepreneurship skills & economically empowering projects.
The 5-month long ‘Creative Enterprise’ pilot will be broken down into a) 3-month foundational English language programme taught by a TKT Certified Instructor who is a graduate of the internationally recognized Asian University for Women and has previously taught ESL in both Maskeliya & Batticaloa; b) An inter-woven & then focused 2-month long Creative Enterprise programme brought to life by a list of visiting subject experts who will hold sessions & workshops with programme participants, and in some instances, with the general public at large. At the end of each programme cycle, we will also host a ‘Creator Market & Showcase’ where products and content created by participants during the Creative Enterprise Programme are shared with the general public too.
Speakers include a lineup of Mangala’s creative contemporaries such as esteemed handicrafts, textiles & fashion designer Senaka de Silva; internationally-renowned Sri Lankan contemporary artist & Matara native Pala Pothupitiye; award-winning filmmakers Bavaneeda Loganathan & Chinthana Dharmadasa, internationally-known Sri Lanka travel content creators & influencers Shenelle Rodrigo & Shehaan Thahir, Matara-based hospitality culture-makers Team Dots Ceylon Hotels & Smoke & Bitters, RCA graduated canvas & digital /NFT artist Bilaal Raji Saheed, wildlife & eco-tourism hotelier between Nepal & Sri Lanka Tim Edwards; talk-show host, performer, & Trans-rights & LGBTQ advocate Bhoomi Harendran, artist & arts educator Minal Naomi Wickramatunge, award-winning duo music director & composer Madhun Dissanayake & creative director and filmmaker Nayani Dissanayake, as well as screenings of the films of animator Irushi Tennekoon and more.
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
