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Project to promote Buddhist ties: MoU on USD 15 mn being finalised
The Indian High Commission says that an inter-governmental MoU is being finalised to grant USD 15 mn for the promotion of India’s Buddhist ties with Sri Lanka. India has also opened an international airport at Kushinagar, for which the inaugural flight was welcomed from Sri Lanka on the auspicious ‘Wap Poya’ day in October 2021 and an exposition of the sacred Kapilvastu Buddha relics from the Rajaguru Sri Subhuthi Maha Vihara of Waskaduwa was held in India in October 2021.
In line with the overall project the High Commission of India in Colombo recently organised an event to award the winners of the ‘International Quiz on Buddhism and Buddhist Heritage’ at Colombo Taj. Minister of Education Dinesh Gunawardena attended the event as the Chief Guest. Senior members of the Maha Sangha, officials and other dignitaries also attended the event.
The IHC statement: “The quiz competition, focusing on the life of The Buddha and various sites/places associated with Buddhism, was organized by the High Commission in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the State Ministry of Dhamma School, Pirivena & Bhikku Education of Sri Lanka. It was launched in about 800 Pirivenas country-wide for youth and students in the age group of 14-22 years in December 2021 and was held in 3 rounds, the first at the level of Pirivenas, the second at the Provincial level and the third at the National level. About 6000 candidates participated in the quiz. The 3 winners of the quiz were awarded certificates and souvenirs by the Minister of Education and the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay. The grand prize for the winners includes a five-day sponsored tour of the Buddhist circuit of India along with one companion each.
In his remarks, the High Commissioner expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education and the State Ministry for their support in organizing the quiz. He mentioned that Buddhist heritage formed an important civilizational bond between India and Sri Lanka and the quiz competition would help in further promoting shared cultural heritage of Buddhism and deepen people-to-people bonds. He said that the Government of India looks forward to welcoming the prize winners to India. Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education highlighted that both India and Sri Lanka were celebrating the 75th anniversaries of their independence and recalled the close association between the freedom fighters of the two countries. He expressed his appreciation to the Government and leadership of India for extending their support to Sri Lanka in all spheres, particularly in strengthening the Buddhist ties.
The award ceremony formed a part of the series of special events organized by the High Commission of India to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence- ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, launched on the Republic Day of India, January 26, 2022, by the External Affairs Minister of India.”
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
