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Sri Lanka Magic Circle 1922 – 2022 Celebrates a Century of Magic!
Founded on 18th February 1922 as an Association of Ceylon Magicians, headed by Gate Mudaliyar A.C.G.S. Amarasekera, with Harold Holden, T.G.R. Goonewardane, Simon Perera, Linden de Alwis, Herbert E. Gonsal, and Vivien Abhayaratne, the Association progressed in the cultural entertainment field up to the 1950 era and thereafter galvanized itself into creating a niche in the entertainment field. In 1953 the name was changed to Sri Lanka Magic Circle (SLMC) which attracted many enthusiasts interested in the performing art of magic. These were students, many members from the government service, mercantile service, Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, Engineers, Doctors, Education department, Medical Research Institution and Judicial service, Borah and Sindi communities to name a few.
Regular monthly meetings and magic workshops were held throughout, initiated by the diligent council members. Many magic performances were held island wide, most of which were in aid of fundraising charitable causes, which was one of the social obligations of the SLMC, even as at date. The quality of the performing art was raised by conducting regular workshops and by holding annual magic contests since 1961 to date and thus improved professionalism in presentation.
This Magic Circle received the blessings of the State throughout its long history. Sir Oliver Goonetilleke graced the magic shows conducted by the Circle The Golden Jubilee celebrations were held at the President’s House with the blessings of the late William Gopallawa. In 2002 the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation, in association with the Cultural Ministry, under then Minister the late Monty Gopallawa, gifted a block of land at the Kalapola zone at 156 Templars Road, Mt.Lavinia in recognition of the cultural impact by the Magic Circle, on which the ground floor headquarters has been constructed.
The Department of Cultural Affairs recognized the efforts of the magic circle and granted it the status of a ‘National Arts Society in March 2021. Due to the tremendous effort of the SLMC as a cultural society, a Centenary Postal Stamp and a First Day Cover is to be issued on the 22nd April at the International Magic Convention at the BMICH by the Postal Department.
Today the Sri Lanka Magic Circle is one of the very few globally recognized Magic Clubs in the world which has had a glorious marathon century run to date!
Several events has been planned for 22nd and 23rd April which includes a full day International Magic Convention at the Lotus Hall, BMICH, with lecture demonstrations, Senior and Junior Magic Competitions open to local and foreign magicians, awards ceremonies and magic dealer sales counters. On the 24th April from 5.45 PM an evening of a fabulous Gala Magic Extravaganza is scheduled for VVIPs and invitees at the Bishop’s College Auditorium by local and foreign magicians.
About 40 foreign delegates have already registered and the Magic Circle has promoted these delegates to tour Sri Lankan tourist sites, after the events, thus boosting the tourism industry.
Local magicians and members of the public interested in joining the events or to obtain membership in the Sri Lanka Magic Circle, could email Lt. Col. (rtd.) Ronald de Alwis on magicana@sltnet.lk for inquiries.
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
