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Russia honours Sri Lankan front-line graduates who fought against Covid-19
A ceremony titled ‘Evening of Friendship’ was held at the Russian Center in Colombo in recognition of the efforts of Russian/USSR graduate front-liners who fought against Covid-19.
The event was organized jointly with the Association of Sri Lankan Graduates from Socialist Countries and the Sri Lanka-Russia Friendship Society.
The chief guest was Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and former Director-General of Health Services, Vice Chairman of the 146th Executive Board of the WHO, who led the campaign to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Sunil de Alvis, Additional Secretary (Medical Services), Ministry of Health, who made a significant contribution towards overcoming the threat of the pandemic in Sri Lanka, was the guest of honor.
The event was attended by Susil Premajayantha, State Minister of Education Reforms, Promotion of Open Universities and Distance Learning, President of Sri Lanka- Russia Friendship Society, Yury Materiy, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives and Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Russia and General Secretary of Sri Lanka – Russia Friendship Society.
The official part of the event comprised honoring the contribution of the outstanding Soviet/Russian Alumni towards fighting Covid-19 in Sri Lanka, a photo exhibition, and a ceremony to present souvenirs to the graduates to acknowledge their selfless efforts.
Addressing the audience, Anastasia Khokhlova, First Secretary of the Russian Embassy and Director of the Russian Centre in Colombo, noted that Russia acknowledges its graduates as one of the main assets of bilateral cooperation.
“I’m honored to acknowledge that the utmost contribution in this battle against the pandemic threat was carried out by the Russian/Soviet alumni, Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Dr. Sunil De Alwis with many other graduates of various spheres of education, who did a great lot to successfully prevent the spread of the dangerous disease in Sri Lanka”, she noted.
“It is the best compliment for us that the fundamental base for your utmost professionalism was laid at Russian universities and cradled by our country”, she added.
Tokens of appreciation were presented by Ambassador Yuri Materi to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Dr. Sunil De Alwis, Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni, CMC’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, SSP Dr. Ravi Basnayake, Police Hospital, Dr. Geethika Guruge, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health, Public Health Department, CMC, Dr. Dinu Guruge, Regional Epidemiologist, Colombo CMC, Dr. Dhammike Adhikarawatta, Public Health Officer, CMC, Dr. Kapila Sooriyaarachchi, Head of Health Promotion Division, Public Health Department, Dr. Sudanthika Wijesooriya in charge of Corona Unit, North Colombo Teaching Hospital and Dr. Theja Huruggamuwa, Covid Unit, General Hospital, Kalutara.
A cultural program by the students of the School of Music and the School of Ballet and Dance of the Russian Centre in Colombo added color to the event.
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
