There is something about Avurudu that naturally fills every corner of Sri Lanka with energy and connection, and this year, that spirit extended to the shores of Pasikudah. At Sun Siyam Pasikudah, part of the Prive Collection within The House of Siyam, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year was celebrated on 14 April with a vibrant, full day programme that brought together guests and team members in true festive spirit, warm, lively, and centred around shared traditions and generous feasts.

The day followed the rhythm that Sri Lankan families know well. At the auspicious hour determined by the almanac for the New Year, the hearth at The Kitchen was ceremonially lit and the milk pot set to boil, symbolising warmth, unity, and the drawing in of abundance for the year ahead. This followed another auspicious moment at noon where a Traditional Sweet Table was laid out, where kiribath, kokis, kavum, aasmi and more were on offer, prepared by the resort’s culinary team and enjoyed by guests who had gathered, some for whom this was the most natural thing in the world, and others encountering the tradition for the very first time.

From 3:00 PM onwards, the afternoon opened into games. The resort grounds hosted the full run of Avurudu classics: Kana Muttiya (Pot Breaking), Kaba Adeema (Tug of War), Banis Kama (Bun Eating Contest), Balum Pipirawima (Balloon Blowing), Kotta Pora (Pillow Fighting), the Sack Race, Spoon Race, Blindfold Yogurt Feeding, Eyeing the Elephant, and Finding the Coin on the Plate. Guests of all ages joined in, and the kind of laughter that filled the afternoon is really the only way to describe what Avurudu at its best feels like.

“Avurudu is one of those occasions where the feeling in the air does all the work. The auspicious timings, the lighting of the hearth, the sweet table, the games in the afternoon: each of these carries its own meaning, and when you observe them properly and together, the day takes on a quality that is hard to replicate at any other time of year. We wanted our guests, wherever they had travelled from, to feel genuinely part of that, not simply watching from the outside. I think the day showed that Pasikudah is a place where that kind of celebration feels entirely at home,” said Arshed Refai, General Manager, Sun Siyam Pasikudah

The celebration is also a reflection of a broader moment for this stretch of the Sri Lankan coast. Pasikudah has long been known among those who seek it out: a bay of extraordinary calm and clarity, unhurried in a way that the island’s busier coastal destinations rarely are. What has shifted in recent years is that more people are finding it. Sri Lanka welcomed over 600,000 international visitors in the first quarter of 2025, generating tourism revenue of USD 1.025 billion, and the East Coast is increasingly part of that conversation. Sun Siyam Pasikudah has been central to placing Pasikudah on that map.

The resort’s 34 pavilions, offered in one and two bedroom configurations across garden and beach settings, are styled in a way that is quietly striking: monochrome interiors with warm golden accents, spacious and well-considered, always with the ocean close by. Dining is spread across The Kitchen, The Cellar, The Slice and Grill, The Tea House, and The Bar, with destination dinners available for guests who want a private evening under the stars. Sailing excursions along the coastline, spa and wellness, and encounters with local arts and crafts complete what Sun Siyam Pasikudah offers throughout the year.

During the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, a time defined by togetherness, tradition and returning home, Allianz Insurance Lanka Limited once again stood alongside Sri Lankan communities by continuing its Avurudu Negam initiative for the second consecutive year, expanding its reach to support families during the festive travel period.

Building on the positive response to last year’s programme, Allianz Avurudu Negam 2026 was shaped to make the journey home special and loved during Avurudu. In response, Allianz offered ticket refunds to eligible passengers travelling on the Galu Kumari service from Maradana, supporting passengers journeying home to celebrate the New Year with loved ones.

Passengers boarding from Maradana and Fort and travelling beyond Galle up to Belliatta were eligible for the refund, helping make the journey home more affordable at a meaningful time of year. Acknowledging that financial strain frequently continues even after the celebrations conclude, Allianz extended the refund window until 30th April, easing the cost of returning to Colombo after Avurudu.

To complement this support, Allianz added a heartfelt touch rooted in New Year tradition. Traditional oil cakes were distributed to passengers boarding from Maradana, allowing families to take a familiar symbol of Avurudu back home and share it around their festive tables.

Allianz also prioritised protection during this period. Passengers eligible for the refund were given the option to obtain free Allianz Personal Accident Insurance, reflecting the belief that protection does not end with a journey, but continues wherever people go. In addition, these passengers were included in an LKR 1 million raffle draw, as an extension of the existing campaign, offering one winner shopping vouchers redeemable at outlets of their choice and support that extends beyond the New Year season.

Discussions at the ILO-organized South-4-Care Learning Hub highlighted that progress in the care economy across South Asia is within reach when governments, employers and workers act together through coherent policies and social dialogue.

Countries across South Asia came together to advance decent work in the care economy through a four-day South-South knowledge exchange and capacity-building initiative organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the World Bank Group, and in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO).

The South-4-Care Learning Hub: Advancing Decent Work in the Care Economy in South Asia, taking place from 21–24 April 2026 in Colombo, provided a regional platform for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, enabling countries at different stages of development to exchange experiences, build capacity and identify pathways of building towards gender-responsive and resilient economies.

Delivering the inaugural address, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka highlighted stated that “the care issue, the care economy, is no longer a peripheral issue. It is central to how our economies function and how our societies sustain themselves”.

“Labour force participation is not simply about productivity, it is about access to opportunity, dignity and inclusion,” she said, adding that no form of work, whether paid or unpaid, formal or informal, should remain invisible, undervalued, or underprotected.

Participants underscored that advancing decent work in the care economy in South Asia requires coordinated and sustained action grounded in social dialogue, public investment and policy coherence. Discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening care systems through inclusive policies that respond to rising care needs while improving working conditions and protections for care workers.

The panels emphasized the critical role of national actors- including governments, employers’ organizations, trade unions, private sector actors and experts- in shaping effective care policies and services. Participants shared practical experiences and initiatives demonstrating how social dialogue, partnerships and coordinated action can translate policy commitments into tangible outcomes.

Care work – both paid and unpaid – is essential to the functioning of societies and economies. It enables people to participate in the labour market, supports families and communities, and underpins productivity and economic growth. Yet across South Asia, care work remains undervalued and unevenly distributed, with women bearing a disproportionate share. Limited access to affordable and quality care services continues to restrict women’s labour force participation and deepen gender inequalities.