16th Sujata Jayawardena Memorial Oration

The 16th Sujata Jayawardena Memorial Oration will be delivered on Monday, 30th August by Professor Neelika Malavige on the topic “The Covid-19 Pandemic : The way forward through impactful research.”

Professor Malavige is an Alumnus of the University of Colombo and is presently the Head of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. She is also presently the Director of the Centre for Dengue Research of the University of Sri Jayewardenapura and also a Visiting Academic at the MRC Human Immunology Unit of the University of Oxford.

The Annual Sujata Jayawardena Memorial Oration, being a premier annual event of the University of Colombo is hosted for the 16th consecutive year by the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo, in memory of its illustrious Past President the late Mrs. Sujata Jayawardena who rendered immense service to the University of Colombo.

This will be the first time this Oration will be held virtually, both through the Learn Network and Portal through Zoom and as a Facebook Event.

Speaking on the Oration, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo Prof. Chandrika N. Wijeyaratne said “I convey my deepest appreciation to our respected alumni for recognizing home grown scientific researchers who can contribute to society, that is aptly personified by the experiences of the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

University of Colombo Alumni President Mr. Rajeev Amarasuriya speaking about the upcoming Oration said “We are in unprecedented times searching for light at the end of the tunnel. In circumstances like these it is good to take a step back and reflect before moving forward. I am confident this year’s Oration will provide that opportunity for everyone”.

Former President of the Alumni Association Mr. Thilak Karunaratne who conceived the idea of this Annual Oration during his Presidency in 2004 said “We could not have the SJM Oration for two years due to the Covid Pandemic. Therefore, it is great to have the Oration virtually this year. Further, we are extremely fortunate to have a person of the calibre of Prof. Neelika Malavige as the Orator with a timely topic”.

Past Orators have been Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe, Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, H.E. Robert O. Blake Jr., Judge C.G. Weeramantry, Vidyajothi Prof. Arjuna Aluwihare, Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, H.E. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, Prof. Sudarshan Seneviratne, Emeritus Prof. Carlo Fonseka, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Chinese Ambassador H.E. Yi Xianliang, Indian High Commissioner H.E. Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Mr. Tony Weerasinghe.

All those interested in participating at this year’s Oration are requested to connect through the Alumni Association’s Facebook Page : “The Alumni Association of University of Colombo” or email alumni.colombo@gmail.com or call Ms. Suraji on 0717289014