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Outstanding Achievements of Muslim Women
The All Ceylon Muslim Women’s Association (ACMWA), with a 71-year legacy, hosted the inaugural IMRA Awards to recognize the exceptional accomplishments of Muslim women in Sri Lanka.
Held on recently at Shangri-La Colombo, this landmark event coincided with the upcoming International Women’s Day and showcased the remarkable achievements of strong, visionary women from the community.
The event honoured outstanding women in various categories, including Media and Communications, Hospitality, Banking and Finance, Healthcare, Law and Advocacy, Arts and Culture, Business Entrepreneurship, Social Impact, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Additionally, four exceptional women received the IMRA Lifetime Achievement Award, two from the Muslim community and two from other communities.
“We are thrilled to have initiated the IMRA Awards to shine the spotlight on the remarkable achievements of Muslim women,” stated Fathima Aziz, Director, Denara Training Institute. “Our intention was to create a platform that recognizes the outstanding contributions of Muslim women from diverse backgrounds and professions.”
IMRA, derived from the Arabic word for ‘woman’ in Islam, embodies attributes such as power, strength, adventure, energy, curiosity, spirituality, and magnetism.
These awards aim to celebrate and amplify the voices of Muslim women who embody these qualities and have excelled in their respective fields.
The inaugural IMRA Awards received an overwhelming response, with 84 applications pouring in from across Colombo and the provinces. The selection process was designed to be fair and transparent, with KPMG onboard as a knowledge partner. All applications were carefully reviewed and scored against predetermined criteria. Shortlisted candidates underwent interviews by an independent panel of distinguished judges.
Among the winners were Mrs. Rezani Aziz for Media, Mrs. Yasmin Cader for Hospitality and Tourism, Mrs. Feroza Ameen for Banking and Finance, Dr. Mrs. Shemoon Marleen for Healthcare, Mrs. Farzana Jameel PC for Law and Advocacy, Mrs. Haadiya Galely for Arts & Culture, Mrs. Shahnasz Hakeem for Business Entrepreneurship, Mrs. Nuha Ghouse and Mrs. Saarah Deen Ismail for the IMRA Young Biz Entrepreneur Achievement Award, and Mrs. Juwairiya Mohideen for the IMRA Award for Social Impact. Additionally, the Award for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) was presented to Dr. Rozana Himaz.
In addition to the above awards, four Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to Ms. Anushya Coomaraswamy for her dynamics in the Finance Sector, Mrs. Neetha Dhammachari Ariyaratne for her social work, Mrs. Ferial Ashroff for her contributions to Sri Lankan politics and social activism, and Deshabandu Jezima Ismail for her service as an educator, broadcaster, social activist, and human rights advocate.
“In all the categories chosen, Muslim women have had to overcome unique challenges to prove themselves,” remarked Aziz. “The IMRA Awards aim to highlight and celebrate these achievements, inspiring future generations of Muslim women to reach greater heights. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all nominees for sharing their achievements with us. While it’s the inaugural awards event, we hope to continue this tradition bi-annually, inspiring and empowering future generations of Muslim women.”
Notably, all proceeds from the IMRA Awards will support the Denara Training Institute, benefiting the next generation of Muslim women. The institute, in collaboration with partners such as “Farhath’s Mehendi” and Cuty Rose, offers courses in mehendi art, dressmaking, and embroidery, nurturing the talents of young women and fostering empowerment within the community.
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- Mrs. Shahinsifa Zahir, President of The All Ceylon Muslim Women’s Association, delivering the vote of thanks for the evening
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- Deshamanya Radhika Coomaraswamy delivering the keynote speech
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- Mrs. Fathima Aziz, Director, Denara Training Institute
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
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He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
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The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .
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