Features

Supporting Conservation Education: the story of March for Conservation: Part I

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/9

Thilina Walpola

Dr Rudran and Mrs Ranji Rudran at an early march.

By Ryhana Raheem

This article was prompted by a recent reference to March for Conservation (MfC) by Dr Rohan Pethiyagoda in his absorbing lecture entitled ‘Serendipity: The Discovery of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity Heritage. The lecture focused on the pioneers who awakened our interest in the rich natural heritage of this island and ended with references to those who continued this work. Among those singled out for mention at the end was March for Conservation (MfC), and Dr Pethiyagoda made a glowing reference to the work MfC had carried out with the young people of Sri Lanka. This unexpected and flattering tribute, decades after MfC had been disbanded, seems to be a favourable opportunity to recall the work that this small but highly committed organization had managed to achieve particularly in Environmental Education (EE).

The beginning – the Marches and the Programmes for Schools

From the start, conservation education was the centre of focus for MfC. The organization which was based at the Department of Zoology, (now the Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences) University of Colombo, was founded in 1980 by Dr R Rudran of the Smithsonian Institution who had received a grant from the New York Zoological Society to fund environmental activities in Sri Lanka. A number of friends and colleagues were invited to Dr Rudran’s house in Colombo to discuss what should be done with the grant. The consensus of everyone at that meeting which included among others, Laki Senanayake, Irangani Serasinghe, Nihal Fernando, Ismeth Raheem, Sarath Kotagama, other naturalists and young academics from the University of Colombo was that knowledge and education had to be harnessed to preserve the natural heritage of the country.

And given the hiatus in environmental activities at that time, it was felt that the target audience should be young adults who would carry the message into the future. To draw young people into the fold, two major suggestions were made – a publicity event which involved a march through the streets of Colombo by school children who would carry posters and banners stressing the need for conservation, and an educational programme- a series of lectures for young adults in the Colombo educational zone. The decision to start with a march led to Sarath Kotagama’s suggestion that we call our organization the March for Conservation. Within days, Laki Senanayake had produced his masterpiece of a logo for MfC incorporating indigenous symbols that captured the centuries old tradition of nature protection and conservation in Sri Lanka .

The first march was a resounding success. Led by two baby elephants, the procession started out at the Dehiwela Zoo and as it wound its way along Galle Road and then Havelock Road, almost every school along the route joined in, carrying posters and banners that reiterated the message of the march. An attractive feature was that many of the schools came along with their school bands. Members of the public too fell in to stride along with the school children and it was an enormous throng of adults and children, accompanied by the sound of exuberant music that gathered finally on Galle Face Green.

In subsequent years, equally successful marches were organized in Colombo, in Polonnaruwa and a most eventful one- from Colombo to Kandy. This last march took place over five days with schools on the Colombo-Kandy road joining the march and marchers staying overnight at temples along the road .The march would halt in the afternoon at a temple, and in the evening, lectures on conservation issues would be held for the local community at the temple premises. The spectacular end was in the centre of Kandy town, which like Galle Face Green in 1980, was filled to capacity with adults and schoolchildren. A most unfortunate incident during this Kandy March was the attack at Kadugannawa on the veteran conservationist Irangani Serasinghe by a monkey who bit her on her eyebrow, narrowly missing her eye.

What the marches had proved was that the young people of the island were more than ready to heed the message of conservation. As one of MfC’s strengths was the availability of members who were academics, the organization was able to nurture this interest by supporting it with carefully thought out educational programmes that provided scientific knowledge on the geography of the island, the fauna, the flora and other topics related to the preservation of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity. At weekends, classrooms in the Faculty of Science at the University of Colombo were filled to capacity with school children from GCE A level classes from 40 schools all over the Colombo district.

This lecture series ended with an Environmental Quiz for which prizes were awarded: hundreds of children attended the Award Ceremony held at the university. This programme was repeated wherever marches were held and different competitions were organized. In Polonnaruwa, for example, the lectures ended with an Art Competition and the organizers were swamped with posters and art work on the theme of environmental conservation.

Unfortunately however the momentum of this effort was disrupted firstly by the ethnic riots of 1983 and more seriously by the JVP uprising of the late 1980s. However the seeds of interest, and more importantly, of relevant scientific information, had been sown and this perhaps contributed to the establishment of young people’s environmental organizations throughout the island in the late 1990s and thereafter.

The Sinharaja Project-Research and Education

While the Schools Programmes were going on, in December 1980, MfC embarked on another area of interest-research in wilderness areas. This too was initiated by a grant received by Dr Rudran, this time from the World Wildlife Fund. The focus of the project was the Sinharaja Reserve which had been subject to controversial logging in the 1970s. MfC’s initiative was to study the effects of deforestation on the small mammals of the forest. Research was the main activity of this project but as so little was known of this forest, MfC took the opportunity to include the Sinharaja Project into its educational efforts and share the knowledge that it had gathered with the general public. In January 1982, the organization disseminated the results of the study at the first-ever Sinharaja Symposium which brought together all the government institutions, universities and other institutions working in the Sinharaja.

In December 1982, MfC brought the forest to the city by organizing a highly acclaimed exhibition on the Sinharaja at the Lionel Wendt Centre in Colombo which drew large crowds of adults and children. The photographic panels that were created for this exhibition were absorbed into MfC’s educational programme as they could be dismantled and provided as a mobile exhibition on Sinharaja to schools all over the island.

The Sinharaja Reserve became a focal point of MfC’s educational efforts and a number of lecture programmes were carried out in situ at the reserve. The research area also became a location for workshops on ecology and conservation. In addition, pains were taken to include those who lived in the Sinharaja area in these educational efforts. In 1984, the young people of the Kudawa village, the western entry point into the Sinharaja , inspired by all that was going on around them, got together to form their own active conservation society.

In 1987, supported by the Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority (NARESA), MfC produced a publication on this rain forest. In 1990, the authors revised the manuscript of ‘Sinharaja-a Rain Forest in Sri Lanka’ and developed it into what still remains as one of the seminal publications on the island’s best known rainforest reserve. The book was translated into Sinhala and in keeping with MfC’s emphasis on education, given free of charge to schools and sold at a nominal price to members of the public.All this work helped disseminate information and would have fueled public interest in and concern for the Sinhara forest.

The Environmental Education Project -Teacher Training and Pedagogical Support

By 1990, MfC had a great deal of experience in EE garnered by working consistently with schools on a systematic programme of learning enrichment. However, the organization had also come to realize that although there was no dearth of interest in the environment, teacher knowledge and skills were at a low, almost minimal level. In 1989, MfC had in fact, begun an inquiry into the factors affecting the teaching of EE at secondary level in Sri Lankan schools. This inquiry which was carried out in collaboration with NARESA and in consultation with the National Institute of Education (NIE) chose to survey schools in three regions, each representative of a distinct geographical/ecological area.

Activity Cards, games and booklets created forthe EE Project

The three regions chosen were the Western Province (industrialized/urban, Wet Zone), the Uva Province (montane/rural) and the Southern Province (coastal Wet Zone). The inquiry included a questionnaire survey which was followed up by consultative workshops with the teachers. By 1991, three very successful workshops had been held-one at the NARESA Auditorium in Colombo, the second at St Aloysius College, Galle and the third at Dharmadutha College in Badulla. One of the most satisfying results of the inquiry was the very active participation of the teachers who had definite ideas on their wants and needs vis-à-vis EE. Among the problems listed was the dearth of appropriate teaching/learning materials and teacher aids, the lack of audio-visual equipment and inadequate numbers of motivated, knowledgeable personnel.

Another interesting and unexpected finding was that the teachers emphasized that the links between environmental NGOs and the teachers should be strengthened. They felt that this would enable them to be better informed on controversial topics which impinged on their own communities such as the siting of industries in rural areas and the use of pesticides in agriculture and daily life. Furthermore the teachers also believed that the motivation and commitment of NGO volunteers was far more inspiring, and that the training imparted by conservation NGOs was more valuable than those of teacher educators.

This exchange of ideas thus provided useful insights as to how issues in EE could be remedied and in the next stage of this project, MfC decided to address itself to one of the central concerns- the lack of appropriate pedagogic material.

This EE project had as its objectives not merely the creation of educational aids but also the improvement of teaching methodologies and was designed to wean teachers away from teaching only from the book. The teaching aids designed were carefully prepared in accord with the syllabus being used at the time for Grades six, seven and eight and included different types of teaching/learning activities ranging from scholastic/ academic to fun-filled creative exercises.

All the lessons centred on resources that a teacher or child could find in a Sri Lankan school wherever it was located. Training workshops were held to introduce the teachers to the new material and provide guidance as to how to use them. In January 1993, the teaching packages were introduced into classrooms in Colombo, Galle and Badulla. In May 1993, evaluative workshops were held to gauge the effectiveness of the packages and gather information on teacher reactions with a view to improving the teaching aids.

Teacher reaction to the project was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and paid tribute to many aspects of the project. These reactions are summed up by one participant who stated

“In my 23 years of teaching, including eight as a Master Teacher, I have attended numerous workshops conducted by many agencies. But, in my opinion, these workshops by March for Conservation have been the most enjoyable and useful – and the ones that I gained most from, professionally speaking.”

Other means of teacher enhancement were also established by MfC which included field workshops at the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, the Sinharaja Reserve and the Horton Plains National Park. These workshops supported teacher knowledge of the wealth of natural resources in the country and also provided training in basic field techniques used to assess biological diversity. It was hoped that the workshops would instill greater enthusiasm amongst the teachers and motivate them to pass on this enthusiasm and newly gained knowledge to their students.[To be continued}

(Ryhana Raheem , Emeritus Professor, Open University of Sri Lanka is a Founder member of MfC and co-author of “Sinharaja- A Rain Forest in Sri Lanka”. She was the Chief Coordinator, MfC (1980 – 1983), Project Coordinator, MfC- Naresa EE project (1989 – 1993) and Project Director, BSEP (1994- 1998)

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Features

Sections of US media looking power straight in the eye

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Trump addressing the media at the White House.(BBC)

Some fundamental freedoms seen to be at the heart of democracy in the US – religion, speech, the press, assembly and the right to petition the government – are at risk of being undermined at present by the country’s Executive President. However, the latter is being legally challenged on this score by some sections of the US media and the citizenry of the country could take heart from this notable defense of media freedom.

In fact this is good news for the world of democracy. The push back is coming from organizations such as CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC who constitute the nucleus as it were of the US media and their solidarity no less than their resourcefulness calls for commendation.

Following a recent White House decision to suspend CNN from what was referred to as ‘participation in presidential pool coverages’, the other media organizations mentioned refused to replace it in the pool. Their position was that the public had a right to receive ‘accurate and independent information about the government.’

Earlier, the White House decided to bar MS NOW and Politico from entering its premises following the restrictions imposed on CNN. The organizations were accused of publishing “FAKE NEWS’ , ‘Fiction’ and ‘lies’ in respect of the administration. These organizations lost no time in initiating a federal lawsuit accusing the central administration of violating their rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

However, the latter litigating organizations could now consider themselves as having been vindicated because the federal court hearing their case has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore White House press access to journalists from the mentioned media institutions. Notably, the court has declared that the ban is ‘likely unconstitutional’. The case is proceeding.

The mass media of the most vibrant democracies of the West ought to be no strangers to such inspirational acts of solidarity and exemplifications of independence but there are lessons here for the democracies of the South that could stand them in good stead. Minus the right of a people to be informed, the rest of fundamental rights featuring in Southern Bills of Rights and legislation of the kind are bereft of substance and meaning.

It is informed decision-making on the part of a citizenry that makes for democratic vibrancy and on this score many a Southern democracy fails. While Southern publics generally demand of their governments continuous economic well being and substantive material benefits they are not equally desirous of being informed and knowledgeable.

This lacuna in the consciousness of many Southern publics enables their governments ‘to get off the hook’, so to speak and govern, or more often misgovern, their countries with impunity. Among other factors, this species of mass ignorance makes it possible for governments to dismantle democracy and rule in perpetuity.

Accordingly, an educated and constantly informed public is an essential precondition for the flourishing of democracy and independent media are integral to this process. Minus an independent mass media sector that meets the knowledge needs of the people responsibly, democracy is as good as dead.

Needless to say, those sections of the US media that are currently taking the Trump administration to task over its media curbs are acutely aware of the cruciality of these fundamental knowledge requirements.

The hope of democratic opinion worldwide and locally is likely to be that media independence would thrive in the manner in which it is flourishing in the most vibrant and accountable democracies of the West.

Southern countries such as Sri Lanka that lay claim to democratic credentials, but are democracy-deficient in many ways, need to be particularly cognizant of these requirements. The publics of these countries need to go the extra mile to ensure the thriving of an independent but responsible mass media sector.

In fact it is veritably a matter of life and death. It is only an independent media sector that could, while ensuring the existence of an informed public, impress on the latter the need to protect and perpetuate its fundamental rights. In the absence of these campaigns, such publics could be eventually having on their hands governments that boast of ruling in perpetuity.

Taking a leaf from the sections of the US media referred to independent media organizations in Southern states need to act in solidarity as well. They would need to act on the basis of the principle that acts of victimization suffered by members in their fold at the hands of governments, for instance, are in fact inimical acts directed at their collectivity and which call for united remedial action. In short, no independent mass media institution could see itself as ‘an island’.

Besides some general guidance on the importance of media independence and solidarity, the message coming from the US with regard to media praxis is that power must be stood-up to unblinkingly. The mentioned sections of the US media are primarily in a struggle to ward off encroachments on their independence in the areas of policy and practice by the political executive, that is the President.

The latter would ride rough-shod over the media in the absence of robust opposition by the media itself to inimical executive action of this kind.

While media independence needs to be seen as crucial to democratic development, an obligation is cast on the media to ensure that it uses such independence responsibly and constructively.

The worst that could afflict a media sector is for it to fall prey to the clichetic ‘freedom of the wild ass’. In fact recurring irresponsibility on the part of the media could lend credence to the perception that a tightly regulated media is best for a country. It is a short step from this misguided view to the position that political authoritarianism is best for a state. That turn of events would be of course catastrophic for a democracy.

The issues discussed thus far point to the need for a broad discourse among Southern democracies in particular on what is best for them in this connection. Given the risks underscored earlier for Southern countries in particular a broad discussion on the matters at hand, which includes the public, emerges as a must for Sri Lanka. Besides, media solidarity within democratic countries and internationally is a must.

Features

What lessons can be learned to improve quality of Sri Lanka’s Grade 6 syllabus

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

by Prof. M. W. Amarasiri de Silva

Following public controversy over an inappropriate web link found in an English study module, the Sri Lankan government formally deferred the full rollout of the Grade 6 curriculum reforms to January 2027. In the interim, state schools will maintain the existing syllabus, reverting to standard eight-period daily timetables and previous textbooks to ensure uninterrupted instruction. Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that this temporary pause allows the Education Ministry to thoroughly review all instructional materials, fix editorial flaws, and conduct scientific impact assessments across pilot schools prior to nation-wide implementation.

To address the oversight, an expert committee evaluated the flawed materials, completed necessary amendments, and finalised discussions to resubmit corrected modules for printing. Beyond revising written texts, the Ministry established a broader preparation roadmap—allocating funds for extensive teacher training programs set to begin mid-year, alongside scheduled informational briefings for parents, teachers, and students. Prime Minister Amarasuriya reaffirmed that none of the valid first-term modules were completely discarded or scrapped, preserving state resources while systematically rebuilding public trust and strengthening quality assurance protocols.

In this respect, this article reviews the current grade 6 syllabus comparing it with similar syllabi of India and the USA, with a view to make recommendations for the upcoming grade 6 syllabus revision.

Architecture of nation’s future

Education is the quiet architecture of a nation’s future. It is the unseen scaffolding upon which generations build their character, their intellect, and their capacity to contribute meaningfully to society. In Sri Lanka, the Grade 6 syllabus occupies a particularly important place in this architecture. It is the bridge between primary learning and the more demanding intellectual terrain of secondary education. It is the moment when children begin to move from learning basic facts to understanding concepts, from memorising information to applying knowledge, and from passive reception to active engagement. Yet, despite its importance, the Grade 6 curriculum in Sri Lanka has long struggled with issues of breadth, depth, relevance, and pedagogy. As global education systems evolve, Sri Lanka must examine what lessons can be learned from international models—particularly India and the United States—to strengthen its own curriculum and prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

The first lesson Sri Lanka can learn is the value of conceptual clarity. India’s NCERT curriculum, especially in Mathematics and Science, is globally respected for its logical progression and conceptual depth. Indian students are introduced early to the idea that mathematics is not merely a set of procedures but a language of reasoning. They learn why a ratio works, not just how to compute one. They understand the structure of an equation, not merely the steps to solve it. In Science, they explore the properties of materials, the structure of plants, and the principles of motion with a clarity that encourages curiosity rather than rote memorisation.

Sri Lanka’s Grade 6 syllabus, while competency-based, often leans heavily toward content coverage. Students are expected to learn many topics, but the time allocated for each is limited, and the teaching culture often emphasizes memorisation over understanding. If Sri Lanka wishes to improve the quality of its syllabus, it must embrace the idea that fewer topics taught well are better than many topics taught superficially. Conceptual mastery builds confidence, and confidence builds lifelong learners.

Lesson from the US

A second lesson comes from the United States, where the curriculum is built around skills rather than content. American students in Grade 6 are expected to read complex texts, analyse arguments, write essays supported by evidence, conduct experiments, and engage in collaborative projects. The emphasis is not on how much they know but on what they can do with what they know. This skills-based approach encourages critical thinking, creativity, and independence—qualities essential for success in the modern world.

Sri Lanka’s syllabus, by contrast, often rewards students for reproducing information rather than interpreting it. The exam culture reinforces this tendency, as students are assessed primarily through written tests that measure recall. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must integrate more opportunities for students to think, question, debate, and create. The classroom should become a space where students learn to solve problems, not just memorize solutions.

Another important lesson comes from the breadth of Sri Lanka’s own curriculum. One of the strengths of the Sri Lankan system is its inclusion of cultural and religious education. Subjects such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity provide moral grounding and cultural identity. Art, Music, Drama, and Health contribute to holistic development. These subjects remind students that education is not merely about academic achievement but about becoming a balanced human being. However, breadth without depth can become burdensome. Grade 6 students in Sri Lanka often juggle more than ten subjects, each with its own textbook, competencies, and assessments. This creates pressure not only for students but also for teachers, who must rush through content to meet syllabus requirements. The lesson here is not to reduce cultural subjects but to integrate them more meaningfully. Religious education can be taught through ethical discussions, community projects, and reflective writing. Art and Music can be connected to history, literature, and social studies. Health can be linked to science and physical education. Integration reduces overload while enriching learning.

Another lesson from India

India offers another valuable lesson in the form of standardised textbooks. NCERT books are used across the country, ensuring consistency in quality and content. They are written by subject experts, reviewed rigorously, and updated periodically. Sri Lanka’s textbooks, while generally well-structured, vary in quality and often lag behind modern pedagogical standards. Some are dense, text-heavy, and lacking in visual aids or real-world examples. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must invest in high-quality textbooks that are engaging, accessible, and aligned with contemporary educational research. Textbooks should not merely transmit information; they should inspire curiosity. They should include stories, diagrams, experiments, and activities that make learning enjoyable and meaningful.

The United States provides a lesson in inquiry-based science education. American students conduct experiments, build models, observe natural phenomena, and engage in engineering design challenges. They learn science not as a set of facts but as a process of discovery. Sri Lanka’s science curriculum includes experiments, but many schools lack the resources, laboratory facilities, or teacher training to implement them effectively. Improving the syllabus requires improving the ecosystem around it. Schools need laboratories, equipment, and teacher development programs that empower educators to teach science through inquiry. A syllabus is only as strong as the environment in which it is taught. ***

International models

Another area where Sri Lanka can learn from international models is language education. In India, students often learn three languages—English, Hindi, and Sanskrit or Urdu. This heavy language load has its challenges, but it also produces students with strong linguistic skills. In the United States, English Language Arts emphasises reading complex texts, writing arguments, and analysing literature. Sri Lanka’s English curriculum, while improving, still struggles with uneven implementation across schools. Many students reach secondary school without adequate proficiency in English, limiting their access to global knowledge. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must strengthen English instruction through better teacher training, more reading opportunities, and a shift from grammar-heavy teaching to communication-focused learning. At the same time, Sinhala and Tamil instruction should be modernised to include creative writing, literature appreciation, and critical reading.

Social Studies is another area ripe for improvement. Sri Lanka’s curriculum includes History, Geography, and Civics, but the teaching often emphasises memorization of dates, definitions, and facts. India’s Social Science curriculum, while also content-heavy, provides clearer conceptual frameworks. The United States, however, excels in teaching civics and citizenship. American students learn how governments function, how laws are made, how communities solve problems, and how citizens participate in democracy. Sri Lanka can strengthen its Civics curriculum by incorporating more discussions on governance, rights, responsibilities, and community engagement. Students should learn not only the structure of government but also the values that sustain it—justice, equality, and participation.

One of the most important lessons Sri Lanka can learn is the value of reducing exam pressure. In both India and Sri Lanka, exams dominate the educational landscape. Students are judged primarily by their ability to perform on written tests. The United States, while not free from assessment challenges, uses a wider range of evaluation methods—projects, presentations, portfolios, and continuous assessment. These methods allow students to demonstrate learning in diverse ways. Sri Lanka should consider adopting a more balanced assessment system that values creativity, collaboration, and practical skills alongside academic knowledge.

Technology integration is another area where Sri Lanka can improve. The United States incorporates digital literacy, coding, online research, and digital citizenship into the curriculum. Sri Lanka’s ICT syllabus is well-structured, but implementation varies widely. Many schools lack computers, internet access, or trained ICT teachers. Improving the syllabus requires improving infrastructure. Students must learn to navigate the digital world safely and effectively. They must learn coding not as a luxury but as a basic skill. They must learn to evaluate online information critically, a skill essential in an era of misinformation.

Teacher training

Teacher training is perhaps the most critical lesson of all. A syllabus is only as effective as the teachers who deliver it. India invests heavily in teacher training through national programs, workshops, and online platforms. The United States emphasises professional development, peer collaboration, and instructional coaching. Sri Lanka must strengthen its teacher training programmes, ensuring that educators understand not only what to teach but how to teach it. Teachers should be trained in inquiry-based learning, differentiated instruction, formative assessment, and classroom management. They should be empowered to adapt the syllabus to the needs of their students rather than follow it mechanically.

Sri Lanka must learn the lesson of relevance. A syllabus must prepare students not only for exams but for life. It must teach them how to think, how to communicate, how to solve problems, and how to work with others. It must prepare them for a world where knowledge is abundant, but wisdom is scarce. It must help them navigate a future shaped by technology, globalisation, environmental challenges, and social change. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must ask: What kind of citizens do we want to produce? What kind of thinkers? What kind of leaders? The answers to these questions should shape the curriculum.

Lastly, improving the quality of Sri Lanka’s Grade 6 syllabus requires learning from both international models and local strengths. From India, Sri Lanka can learn the value of conceptual clarity and standardised textbooks. From the United States, it can learn the importance of skills, inquiry, and creativity. From its own traditions, it can preserve cultural education, moral development, and holistic learning. The goal is not to copy another country’s system but to build a uniquely Sri Lankan curriculum that is modern, relevant, and empowering. A curriculum that honours the past while preparing students for the future. A curriculum that nurtures thinkers, creators, and compassionate citizens. A curriculum worthy of a nation with immense potential and a proud educational heritage. If Sri Lanka embraces these lessons, the Grade 6 syllabus can become not just a bridge to secondary education but a foundation for national progress.

Features

Three magical nights at Colombo Fashion Week

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Melloney Dassanayaka is certainly a familiar name here, and abroad, as well, having represented Sri Lanka at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant, held in Mexico.

A former National Basketball player, she is also involved in several projects, beneficial to the community, including financial literacy for single women-headed families in the country.

A banker by profession, Melloney hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Melloney with Asanka de Mel of Lovi Sri Lanka

This extremely talented old girl of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, was in the limelight, once more, when she was seen on the ramp at Colombo Fashion Week.

It was her very first experience, at this prestigious event, and she loved every minute of it, she said, and, what’s more, she was featured on three consecutive days.

According to the itinerary, on day 01 she walked for Lovi Sri Lanka; day 02 Rizwan Beyg (Pakistan designer), Arsath Furkhan (Indian designer), Haoyi Yan (Chinese designer) and Samant Chauhan (Indian designer); and on day 03 Vaishali Shandangule (Indian designer).