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Ten Ladies College girls back home after a wonderful Indian trip
The first leg of the India Sri Lanka Student Exchange Programme between Ladies’ College and St Mark’s World School supported by the India – Sri Lanka Foundation was successfully completed as the students and teachers of Ladies’ College returned to the island on Aug. 20, a Ladies College new release said.
Ten students of Ladies’ College travelled to New Delhi and enjoyed engaging with 10 students from St Mark’s World School. During their stay they learnt about the diversity of values, language, customs, and works of art, rituals, and ceremonies that form the Indian culture and drew parallels with their own culture, it said.
The students were hosted in their Indian counterparts’ homes and over the 10 days engaged in various classroom activities, workshops and other learning programmes organized by the school.
They also visited the famous India Gate (New Delhi), Taj Mahal (Agra) and other historical places of interest. The students were also privileged to be hosted by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Morogoda.
Commenting on their trip, the girls were all grateful for the experience, saying they are eager to host their Indian friends in October and share their own country with them.
“I can’t fully express all what I felt on this trip”, said one of the girls on the tour. ” I am happy that I got to cycle around India Gate and see many famous monuments such as the Lotus Temple and Taj Mahal. The days just flew by.”
Another commented, “it was hard, living with a family I have never met before but it was fun very soon. I really got to see how an Indian girl my age lives and it was really interesting. I also think I learned to appreciate what I have at home. I enjoyed visiting the Khan market and experiencing different Indian foods with my host family”.
Commenting on the girls and their experiences on the trip, Ms. Ranmalee Balasooriya, the Vice Principal said, “they really adjusted well. It was challenging at times because they are not used to some of the traditions and mannerisms of Indians. But they adapted well and were really good sports. We are truly grateful for the warm hospitality that the staff and students of St Mark’s World School gave us and we deeply appreciate the India – Sri Lanka Foundation for giving us this wonderful opportunity to grow our relationships with our neighbouring country. We thank each and every person for all their help, assistance and guidance to make our trip a resounding success”.
The students of St. Mark’s World School New Delhi are due to visit Sri Lanka in October this year.
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
