News
US funds preservation of South Asia’s oldest shipwreck in Lankan waters
Sri Lanka Cultural Fund has received USD 82, 192 from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. To document and conserve the Godawaya shipwreck and its artefacts.
The announcement was made at a ceremony attended by U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana, Director General of Central Cultural Fund Professor Gamini Ranasinghe, and Senior Archaeology Officer Rasika Muthucumarana.
The US embassy in a statement quoted Ambassador Chung as having stated at the ceremony inside the Maritime Archeological Museum, which is inside the Dutch Fort: “By documenting the important role that Sri Lanka has played as a hub for the Indo-Pacific region’s travellers and traders from its earliest days, the United States hopes to help preserve and promote Sri Lanka’s magnificent cultural heritage,”
The Godawaya, originally discovered by two Sri Lankan divers, is the oldest known shipwreck in the Asia-Pacific region and one of the oldest sunken vessels to be discovered in the world. Located near Hambantota port, it includes a mound of corroded metal bars and a scattering of other ancient cargo, including glass ingots and pottery.
The documentation and conservation funded through the grant will be undertaken by the Central Cultural Fund’s Maritime Archeology Unit. Documentation of the site and engagement with U.S. experts on Indo-Pacific trade routes and shipwrecks will increase global understanding of trade in the Indo-Pacific and especially Sri Lanka’s role in this rich history. The recording of the internationally recognized site and preservation of objects already exposed on the seabed floor will be shared with Sri Lankan scholars as well as secondary and university-aged students by the Maritime Archeology Unit’s Galle and Colombo lab. Once the project has been completed, artefacts will also be on display to the public in the Maritime Archeological Museum in Galle.
Since 2001, the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation has funded 15 projects in Sri Lanka, totaling assistance of $1,387,294. These include documentation of the Western monasteries at the World Heritage Site of Anuradhapura, the conservation of the Rajagala Buddhist forest monastery, the preservation of Buddhist, Hindu, and other collections in the Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum, the restoration of the Batticaloa Dutch Fort, the preservation of the ritual music and dance forms of the Adivasi, Tamil, and Buddhist communities and the conservation of a 17th century Kandyan Kings’ Palace in Kandy.
News
Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 02 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 02 September 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The atmospheric conditions are getting favorable for afternoon thundershowers in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces in the next few days.
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and in Mullaitivu district after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the Central hills, the North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota and Matale districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon today (02)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (02) are Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon.
The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a request that the petitions challenging the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution be heard by a full bench of the Supreme Court.
Rejecting the request, Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena said the consideration of the petitions would proceed before the five-judge bench.
Appearing on behalf of one of the petitioners, President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran made the request when the petitions were called for hearing yesterday before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Surasena.
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, Ali Sabry, Geoffrey Alagaratnam, Eraj de Silva, Srinath Perera, Anura Meddegoda, and Maithri Gunaratne, along with other counsel appearing for several other petitioners, also made the same request.
Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, pointed out that the authority to determine the composition of a judicial bench rested with the Chief Justice. Refering to Article 132(3) of the Constitution, the Solicitor General argued that the discretion to determine the number of judges on a bench lay with the Chief Justice and that no other party had the authority to interfere in the matter.
Counsel including President’s Counsel Nigel Hatch, appearing for an intervening petitioner, also made submissions pointing out that the discretion to determine the composition of a bench rested with the Chief Justice.
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Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Sun directly overhead Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon today (02)
SC rejects petitioners’ request for full bench
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