Buddhist Gandhara launched

The Pakistan High Commission recently launched the Sinhala translation of the book Buddhist Gandhara - History, Art and Architecture written by Ihsan H. Nadiem and translated by M.S Hussain, with an expert review by Prof. Anura Wickremasinghe of Colombo University.

The High Commissioner of Pakistan, Shahzad A. Chaudhry officially presented the book to Most Ven. Dauldena Ghanissara Mahanayake Thero. Health Minister, Nimal Siri Pala de Silva, Most Ven. Weweldeniya Medhalankara Mahanayake Thero, Most Ven. Udugama Sri Dhamma Dassi Rathanapala Mahanayake Thero, Prof. T. Hettaarachchi and Prof. J.B. Dissanayake were also present on the occasion.

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Samarasinghe attends International HRC

Several high level meetings were held parallel to the session of the International Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe represented Sri Lanka at these important meetings.

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JWT’s –tourism campaign on youtube.com.

Long after the curtains came down on JWT’s highly acclaimed tourism campaign last year, the agency continues to add its bit for Sri Lanka at a crucial time.

JWT persisted with the campaign long after its contractual obligations and hosted a ten minute documentary on youtube.com which was specially done for National Geographic. The campaign continues to get high viewer-ship and has the highest hits in the tourism and travel category generating 3,818,210 minutes out of 381,821 views from all over the world on youtube and is still growing.

The idea for the campaign was born from an inspiring thought from the JWT team in Colombo– every few miles you travel you see a new Sri Lanka. This thought smartly encapsulated the diversity and awe that awaits the discerning traveller. JWT’s Colombo team infused the essence of this into a brief and an idea was cracked by a cross border creative team between JWT Mumbai and the Colombo office and “small island big trip” was brought to life, a concept that moved away from all the clichés in travel communication

The campaign was developed under a USAID sponsored post tsunami initiative to attract tourism back onto the island. The tourism cluster which comprised of very senior professionals was of the view that the large and emerging outbound tourism market in India would be the best to invest in. The campaign was released in India for four months and saw a 25.4% increase in Indian arrivals compared with the preceding year. It helped boost and reposition the image of Sri Lanka in the minds of Indian travelers.
Watch it on youtube click http://youtube.com/watch?v=_sM9vcAIYyc

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DS Medical camp for the teachers

D.S.Senanayake College, Colombo 7 will conduct its annual medical camp for the teachers of the school on October 6, at the college premises.

The Chairman of the Medical Committee, Dr. Sandya Gunawardena says that this project was initiated by the Principal Asoka Senani Hewage a few years ago and the teachers have greatly benefited from it. The children whose parents are doctors and consultants will assist in conducting the medical camp.

A blood sugar test for the teachers will be done by a reputed lab two days prior to the medical camp at the college premises. The report of the test will be given at the medical camp. Depending on the results of the report they will be shown to the specialised respective doctors for treatment.

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Man of the Year Award to Thewaraj

The senior Tamil journalist, V. Thevaraj who has made a great contribution to journalism and social work was awarded with the Man of the Year Award on September 9, at Galadari Hotel. The ceremony was organised by the International Universities for Martial Arts.

On the same day the Kandy Literary Newspapers Society and the Social Eco Friends honored him at Colombo Tamil Sangam. The Chairman of the Thinakkural Newspaper was present at the ceremony.

Thevaraj started his education at Badulla and obtained his BA (honours) Degree from University of Jaffna. He also obtained his MA from University of Mysore, Karnataka, India.
He is the Editor-in-Chief in Express Newspapers (Ceylon Ltd.) of the weekly publications, Virakesari Weekly, Mithiran Varamalar, Metro News and Genius.

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Hilton Colombo shines at the Battle of the Chefs

Yet another extravagant event was held recently when talented chefs in the country got together to compete in the Culinary Art 2007 organised by the Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka. Hilton Colombo once again shone at the competition by bagging 21 gold medals, ten silver medals and and bronze medals.

Started in 1993 and held every other year the competition was acclaimed the most eagerly awaited event. This year there were 1500 food entries with 1000 chefs representing 120 hotels from all over the country.

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Galadari Hotel celebrates Festivals of Malaysia

The Festivals of Malaysia and the Malaysian Food Festival was launched at the Galadari Hotel under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Tourism, Faizer Mustapha, Malaysian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Rossi Ismail, Second Secretary of the High Commission of Malaysia Mohd. Ezuwan Hassan and General Manager, Galadari Hotel, Sampath Siriwardena in a grand scale.

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Rata Barai Numbata Puthe

Major Sidath Rienzie Fernando is a war hero who lost his life in the battles to capture Thoppigala. His wife Dilini Sewwandi faced a grave problem in bringing up her triplets.

Industrial Development and Ranaviru Welfare Minister Kumara Welgama understanding her plight made a financial donation with the help of Sri Lankan philanthropists living in Austria.

Welgama carrying two of the children. Dilini Sewwandi, Private Secretary to the Minister Pradeepika Wimalarathne and Directress of the Ranaviru Welfare Division Malkanthi Jayawardena are also in the picture.

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Service of Thanksgiving and Praise

The Special Events Team of the Old Boys Association of S. Thomas College Mt Lavinia has planned a series of activities to raise funds needed for urgent renovations of the College Chapel.

This house of worship, built 80 years ago, has a unique architecture and depicts traditional Sri Lankan art in its design. The Chapel also has one of South Asia’s largest church murals, the Transfiguration, by David Paynter, a truly a magnificent work of art.

One of the fund raising activities planned is scheduled for Sunday, September 30, at 6 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Living Christ, Baudhaloka Mawatha, when ten schools will join together to form a combined schools choir of around 400 students.
This service of Thanksgiving and Praise, will have the Combined Choir as well as some of the individual school choirs bringing forth hymns, lyrics and a mix of traditional songs of worship and praise relating to the Christian Faith.

The overall vision of this service is not only a fund raising activity for the Thomian Chapel; it is also aimed at having the children of some of our leading schools joining together, in unity on a multi-denominational basis to bring out the best of their talent.
The schools scheduled to participate are Bishops College, Ladies College, Methodist College, Royal College, St Benedicts College, St Joseph’s College, St Peter’s College, S.Thomas’s Preperatory School, Wesley College and S.Thomas College Mt.Lavinia.
Entrance will be free

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The Signum Quartett

The Signum Quartett, the German Chamber Music Group will perform on Sunday, September 23, at 7 p.m. at the Auditorium of the British School in Colombo.

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SLMMP AGM

Karthini Drahman Mohamed receiving a momentum in honour of her 40 years of service in the field of Journalism from the Chief Guest, Highways and Road Development Minister, Jeyaraj Fernandopillai at the 12th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, held at Ranmuthu Hotel, Kollupitiya recently.

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Appreciations   

Rev. Fr. Phillip Motha, the knowledge age worker

Fr. Phillip Motha’s impassioned plea to the Almighty was, for him to enter eternal life peacefully in his sleep, without being a burden to anyone. God faithfully answered His servant’s prayer during the early hours of August, 6, 2007.

“Impermanence”, preached the Enlightened One, over 2,500 years ago, “is a characteristic of every condition and situation we will encounter in our lives. It will change, disappear or no longer satisfy us”.

Unknown to most of us, unlike special people like Fr Phillip, the era of the amazing Industrial Revolution, which commenced in 1707, ended in 1989. The world is now only a mere 18 years into what is termed the enlightened age of the Knowledge Worker. The year 1989 is marked by many milestones, including our own Insurrection, the Tiananmen Square Student Protests and, above all, the fantastic transformation of the Internet’s glut of data and overload of information, into the WorldWideWeb (www). This transformation, and its hidden blessing, are described as “CT’s inherent ability to unleash vital human knowledge from the bonds of repression”.

Fr Phillip Motha (Uncle Phillip to me) realised the emergence of the era of information, knowledge and wisdom, as naturally as a duck takes to water. The industrial age is characterised by a, still very much prevalent, ego-driven society. By his life, Fr. Phillip was witness to the fact that the world was becoming slowly, but steadily, an unselfish and conscience-driven, global community, despite frantic manipulation by a desperate leadership still stranded in bygone eras of human development, over millennia of years.
To the writer and many others who had the good fortune to be spiritually or otherwise, directed and guided by this man of God, Fr Phillip is the epitome of the rapidly expanding groups of spirit filled believers, who are fully aware that “this strenuous search for wisdom, is a search for God, Himself.”

Fr Phillip enjoyed the rare privilege of receiving all 7 sacraments of Catholic Christianity. His wife pre-deceased him in 1997. During her terminal illness, he personally nursed and cared for Aunty Lily, in keeping with the vows of holy matrimony. For nearly 10 years, he even carried her in his arms to the car, to take her for Sunday mass. Before he celebrated Holy Orders at the ripe, old age of 78 years, Professor Phillip Motha, the layman, was a leading practitioner and consultant in the discipline of valuation. What’s more, he emigrated to Singapore, and engaged himself in many activities, including lecturing at Singapore universities. Singapore and many institutions and individuals in other countries around the world, benefited immensely from his generous sharing of his expertise in professional valuation. He reached the pinnacle of his profession as the Chief Valuer of Sri Lanka. Later, in his academic career, too, he rose to the top most notch as the Vice-Dean, Faculty of Architecture, National University of Singapore, a rare feat, indeed, for a naturalised Singaporean. Back in Sri Lanka, he spent the final and most fruitful four years of his life as a labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. At the time of his death, he was Spiritual Director, National Peace Movement, President, Society for Justice and Peace and Chaplain, Xavarians.

On August 11, 2007, Fr. Phillip was to receive a top award for having reached the zenith of his chosen profession, namely, valuation, at a grand event organised by the Old Boys’ Association of his alma mater, St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa. However, five days before the occasion, Fr. Phillip was summoned to accept his ultimate reward, leaving his elder brother Uncle Britto, to receive the award on his behalf.

Dear Fr. Phillip, you knew that I am not prone to shedding tears, however sad or emotional, the occasion is. I know that you smiled broadly, when I could not keep back my tears that just flowed at our final, earthly farewell. Thank you for being a father to me and my wife, Ramani. Thank you on behalf of the many other families you adopted as your children. When 5 of my children were stricken with dengue at the same time, and I was at Nawaloka, after undergoing prostate surgery, your powerful prayers and personal presence, took us smoothly through our difficulties. Thank you for the privilege of sharing meals with you in our home (a home you blessed at every stage of construction, from foundation stone to house-warming Holy Mass). I will always remember, how you enjoyed that tablespoon of cognac you sipped to aid your troubling digestion. 1 was humbled by you refusal, point-blank, to stock even a tiny bottle of the stuff in your room, because you lived such a principled life. My children will always remember the times you spent with them, singing your favourite songs, accompanied by my two sons on guitar and Ramani on piano.

“There were times we shared intimately, the Grace and power of Jesus. We were disillusioned about the present ethnic crisis. But I know, that Fr. Motha was hopeful, because his self-surrender to the living Jesus was still rife. “Awesome words from the funeral oration by Rev. Fr. Noel Dias.

I know that the meaningful Kingdom Project entrusted to you, as a knowledge worker, and which you carried out with dedication and much love here on earth, will bloom and accelerate, because of the vantage position you are in now.
Your life made a difference in the lives around you. Others saw Jesus, in what you said and did. Rest in the peace of the Lord, dear Fr Phillip, till we meet again.

Valentine Motha
Wattala.

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M.B.M. Somaratne

Retired Textile Development Ministry Secretary M.B.M. Somaratne passed away recently. He was living at Heenporwila, Pannipitiya, close to my residence. Somaratne served as the Kelaniya Division Secretary for a long period. I came to know Somaratne many years ago as he visited the Vidyalankara Pirivena in Pannipitiya frequently.

Somaratne was a religious person and a social worker in the area. In fact his hometown was Hikkaduwa, and his beloved wife is a teacher from Mt. Lavinia. Somaratne always lent a helping hand to the Buddhist temples in the area. I never saw him angry. He was a very kind hearted person who associated with his friends in the same manner. Somaratne also educated his children well.
Our friend is no more with us
As he had gone to another world
But we are unable to forget him easily
May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana
– M.G. Asoka Karunaratne, JP

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Film

September 25
Take the Lead (2006, 118 minutes) at the American Centre, 44, Galle Road, Colombo 3, at 6 p.m.

September 25
Bhumika in Hindi with English subtitles, at the Indian Cultural Centre, 133, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 4, at 5.30 p.m.

September 25
Les Fautes D’orthographes by Jean Jacques Zibermann (2003, 90 minutes) in French with English subtitles, at the Alliance Française, Colombo, 3 p.m./6:30 p.m.

September 27
No Man’s Land (Bosnia) by Danis Tanovic (Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film) at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, 2, Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8, at 3 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

September 28
Kandahar (Iran) by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, 2, Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8, at 3 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

September 29
Amandla! A revolution in four-part harmony (Documentary Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival) by Lee Hirsch, at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies, 2, Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8, at 3 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

Drama

September 23
Blood Brothers, presented by Workshop Players directed by Jerome L. De Silva, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo 7.

September 27
Charandas by Parakrama Niriella, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo 7.

September 28
Sinhabahu by Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo 7.

September 29
Kapuwa Kapothi by Prof. Ediriweera Sarachcchandra, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo7.

September 29
Nari Nena Samaga Jasaya Saha Lenchina by Dayananda Gunawardene, at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo 7.

Exhibition

Until September 30
Photos de Paris, photos of monuments and landmarks of Paris seen through Alexander Kveladze’s lens during his visit in Summer 2002, at the Alliance Française de Colombo, 11, Barnes Place, Colombo 7.

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