News
Pathfinder participates at the 14th South Asia Conference in New Delhi
The 14th South Asia Conference hosted by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (MPIDSA) was held in New Delhi recently. The theme of the meeting attended by regional think tanks was ‘Think20@G20’: Towards a Resilient South Asia’, highlighting India’s presidency of the prestigious G20 group, which will be headed for the period 2022-2023 by the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.
Think tanks and other representatives from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and India took part in the event. Participants from Sri Lanka included Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of Pathfinder Foundation; Anushka Wijesingha, Co-founder of Centre for Smart Future; and Dr. Ramani Gunatilaka, an independent Consultant. Meanwhile, Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Senior Research Associate, ODI Global (the U.K.), participated as a panellist.
With India taking over the helm of G20, the powerful grouping established in 1999 with economic issues as its primary focus, MPIDSA sought inputs from regional think tanks to address pressing issues confronting the developing countries. India has set up eight task forces covering macroeconomics, trade and livelihoods, digital public architecture, sustainable consumption, clean and green energy, global financial order, sustainable development goals and multilateralism to address related issues. India has demonstrated its commitment to play a significant role in the policy formulation of G20, a news release on the event said.
This year’s Chair of the T20 group is Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General of MP-IDSA, which hosted the 14th Annual Session of the South Asia Conference. The recommendations from the collective brainstorming in this Conference will be channeled to the G20 leadership track through Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Chief Coordinator of India’s G20 Presidency.
During the two-day session, participants addressed climate, economics, gender, energy, agriculture, water resources, disaster management, boosting resilience and regional growth. The final session of the conference was devoted to “Looking Ahead”, in which the opportunity was taken to discuss how India, the only South Asian Country in the G20, would take the ideas and proposals covering issues confronting the world before the G20 leadership.
The conference devoted time to discussing pressing economic issues faced by South Asia, such as lack of integration, the debt crisis faced by some countries in South Asia, including Sri Lanka, food and energy security, people-to-people connectivity etc. the Conference noted that South Asia is one of the world’s least integrated regions. In contrast, south East Asia, Europe and the Americas had succeeded. For example, it was observed that intra-regional Trade in South Asia accounts for barely five per cent of the total Trade, in contrast to the nearly 25 per cent in the ASEAN region. The Conference also observed that the debt crisis is taking a heavy toll on the region. In addition to Sri Lanka, which was forced to default on its foreign debt, several other countries in the region will face similar consequences.
Deputy High Commissioner Niluka Kadurugamuwa represented Sri Lanka High Commission. Speaking on the debt crisis and highlighting the proactive role played by India by coming to the assistance of Sri Lanka, he recommended that G20 develop a template to help economically vulnerable countries.
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
