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Pathfinder Foundation signs MOU with Maritime Research Centre, India
The Pathfinder Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maritime Research Centre (MRC) based in Pune, India, aimed at collaborating and engaging in research in Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA). The signing took place at the Pathfinder Foundation premises in Peliyagoda, with Dr. (Cdr.) Arnab Das, Founder and Director of the Maritime Research Centre and Dr Dayaratna Silva, Executive Director of the Pathfinder Foundation, signed on behalf of the two institutions.The MRC is a nodal research centre on acoustic capacity and capability building. It contributes as a technology-driven think tank to progress the Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) framework in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Following the signing, Dr. (Cdr.) Das held discussions with several Sri Lankan institutions, including Prof. Wasantha Rathnayake, Vice Chancellor of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Dharshani Lahadapura, Chairperson of Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEEPA) and Colonel Pradeep Rathnayake and Dr Sanath de Silva, Dean and Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Defence & Strategic Studies of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, respectively. During these discussions, Dr. Das presented MRC’s Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) Framework with Nir Dhwani Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd. (NDT), which encourages safe, secure, sustainable growth for all in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond. Pathfinder Foundation will take steps for MRC to establish links with other related Sri Lankan institutions such as the National Aquatic Research Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka Navy, etc.
The MRC and NDT efforts focus on three pillars: policy and technology intervention, acoustic capacity, and capability building. In this regard, multiple activities have been envisaged, and numerous stakeholders and decision-makers will be involved in taking forward the UDA framework. They include collaboration in maritime research and studies, academic exchanges and interaction to further scholarship, knowledge and information in underwater domain awareness.Maritime domain awareness has been a field that received the attention of the Pathfinder Foundation since 2018 when it held the second round of Trincomalee Consultations on the theme ‘Secure and Safe Bay of Bengal for Common Development and Prosperity’. That conference, jointly organised by the Centre for Indo-Lanka Initiatives of the Pathfinder Foundation in cooperation with Carnegie India and Vivekananda International Foundation of India, devoted one session to discuss the establishment of a Centre for Maritime Domain Awareness and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief in Trincomalee for the Bay of Bengal Area.
The maritime domain awareness was revisited when the Pathfinder Foundation’s flagship event ‘Indian Ocean Security Conference’ was held for the second time in March 2022. That biennial regional conference participated by the littoral and hinterland states of the Indian Ocean, major maritime powers, and international institutions such as IORA also devoted an entire session on Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indian Ocean Region. Pathfinder Foundation’s collaboration with the Maritime Research Centre based in Pune, India, is the first time the Foundation is extending its scope to cover underwater domain awareness, an integral part of maritime domain awareness.
During the three-year collaboration, the Pathfinder Foundation and the Maritime Research Centre will cooperatively conduct research on areas including Maritime Security, Blue Economy and International Relations, facilitating academic exchanges and interaction to further scholarship, knowledge and information in the field of underwater domain awareness.
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
