Business

‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ – sneak preview launched

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/29

Stop Child Cruelty Trust (SCC) with Child Protection Alliance (CPA) launched another historical event to protect and promote the rights of children across Sri Lanka. From 2020 to 2022, seventeen children were physically/sexually abused and murdered, and no person of authority has done anything meaningful to resolve the child protection crisis on the island. ‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ (නොරිදවිය යුත රිදෙන කතන්දර) is a collection of true-life stories of victims/survivors of various forms of child abuse to be published in Sinhala, Tamil and English to create awareness of the escalating crisis. The first heartbreaking story, ‘Stilled Tears – Faded White Garb’ (‘නිසල වී ඉකිබිඳුම – මිලින විය සුදු පියුම), was released as an introduction to this masterpiece.

‘Stilled Tears – Faded White Garb’ is the tragic story of a sixteen-year-old Varuni who was subjected to unimaginable mental and verbal abuse by the Principal which, made her end her own life. Speaking about the story, Dr Tush Wickramanayaka, Chairperson of SSC, Co-convener of Child Protection Alliance and Global End Violence Champion, said, “The most unique thing about this book is that it’s authored by young Dinithi Gunathilaka, the winner of the Best Speaker award at the National Inter-school Debate Competition ‘A Generation’s Appeal 2021’. Dinithi was the Captain of the debate team of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo 7.”

Dr Wickramanaya added, “Children are the most vulnerable members of a community who require protection from adults. It’s incredibly gut-wrenching to see the trauma children go through because they are easy targets of abuse. We hope the launch of Varuni’s story will start a movement encouraging many voiceless victims to share their stories. Our final objective is to empower children, raise public awareness and educate.”

“The final publication of ‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ will have experts giving valuable and practical advice on child psychology, parenting, legal, etc. We hope that by sharing these stories victims and survivors can use the book as a tool for healing and education. The book will be initially published in Sinhala, Tamil and English. We aim to have it published in other languages as well and are currently negotiating to get the book published in two UN-recognized regional languages. This would be the first time such a book will be published,” Dr Wickramanayaka further added.

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, The Former President of Sri Lanka, speaking at the event, said, “It’s appalling to hear the number of deaths and cases of abused children in Sri Lanka in the past year. Authorities should resolve the child protection crisis without politicizing matters by working cohesively with NGOs and other such organizations. I would say that creating awareness via books such as ‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ is essential. There is a need to educate people about the dangers and horrors of child abuse. Not just sexual abuse, but other acts of violence against children, I applaud the efforts of Stop Child Cruelty Trust and the Child Protection Alliance in trying to find solutions to the current child protection crisis in Sri Lanka”.

Prof. Sarath Wijesooriya, Author, Senior Lecturer at the University of Colombo, speaking on the impact of child abuse, stated, ” Children are the future of our country there is a need to educate and create awareness on what child abuse is, that it can be prevented and addressed before children fall prey to social predators. Child abuse can be defined as the physical, sexual or emotional ill-treatment or neglect of children. Sometimes a lack of understanding could be the contributor to this rapidly growing social phenomenon. We must educate the general public on this as knowledge can be a powerful tool to overcome child abuse. The more aware people become of its occurrence, the more society can do to prevent such abuse. I believe a book such as Chronicles of Melancholy in all languages with details on how to mitigate abuse is vital for our society.”

The event had excerpts from Varuni’s story read by Child Protection Ambassadors Saranga Disasekara, Abisheka Fernando, Dinakshie Priyasad, Niranjani Shanmugarajah and Harith Wijeratne with a visual dance performance by Stagecraft, School of Performance Art. At the event, they launched the art competition, ‘Me Unhurt – Stop Child Abuse’, which will be open to children between the ages of 16 and 18 years. The winning artwork from the entries will adorn the book cover to be launched in October to signify International Children’s Day.

To enter the competition, please send your entry on an A4 size Kent paper or Watercolor paper, before July 7th, 2023 to Stop Child Cruelty Trust, 115 Kynsey Road, Colombo 8. Please include the following information at the back of the entry: your name, date of birth, address, telephone number, and grade in school. Please get your artwork certified by either a parent/guardian or school teacher with the following text: I certify this is a creation of (name of the child, date and the full name and signature of the adult). For further information, please contact Stop Child Cruelty Trust at 0771656867 or www.stopchildcruelty.com

Stop Child Cruelty Trust was established in 2018 to end violence against children and end corporal punishment. In 2021 SCC spearheaded the formation of the Child Protection Alliance, a coalition of credible civil society organizations working to protect and promote the rights of children. In 2022 SCC pioneered the establishment of UNICEF-style celebrity Child Protection Ambassadors. Their most commended achievement was in 2022 when SCC was the sole representative defending 5.2 million children of Sri Lanka at the 42nd session of the Universal Periodic Review of UNHRC in Geneva. On 1st February 2023, at the Sri Lanka sessions, SCC convinced a record number of countries to make recommendations on child rights, including prohibiting corporal punishment unequivocally.

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Business

Climate compliance pressure mounts on Lankan businesses

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

Lankan businesses are facing increasing pressure to strengthen climate governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks as climate-related disclosure requirements, investor expectations, and regulatory standards continue to evolve.

Against this backdrop, Genesis – the Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future will host a specialised post-summit technical workshop titled “Climate Action: A Strategic Executive Workshop on Climate Resilience and Business Continuity” on June 12, in Colombo.

The programme is designed as a continuation of discussions initiated at the Sri Lanka Climate Summit 2026 and will bring together sustainability managers, compliance officers, ESG professionals, risk specialists, and corporate decision-makers. It aims to translate climate commitments into practical business strategies.

The workshop will focus on implementation rather than advocacy, examining emerging disclosure frameworks, financing mechanisms, and regulatory pathways shaping corporate climate action in Sri Lanka.

Keynote speaker Dr. Lalanath de Silva, an internationally recognised environmental lawyer and governance expert, will address the evolving legal and compliance landscape influencing climate-related business decisions.

Technical sessions will cover IFRS S2 climate-related disclosures, climate risk governance, green finance opportunities, internal carbon pricing, and access to climate financing. Speakers will include climate risk specialist Rohan Cooray, Shiranee Yasaratne of Biodiversity Sri Lanka, and Suganthi Samarasinghe of UNDP Sri Lanka.

Organisers said climate readiness is increasingly becoming a business necessity rather than a sustainability option, with growing scrutiny from global markets and regulators.

Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is required due to limited seating for professionals in sustainability, governance, compliance, and risk management roles.

Business

SPAR Sri Lanka Opens New Outlet in Kurunegala

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

SPAR Sri Lanka has expanded its retail network with the opening of a new outlet in Kurunegala, marking another milestone in the supermarket chain’s growth across the country.

The new store, strategically located to serve the growing population of the North Western Province, offers a wide range of products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, premium meat products, bakery items, household essentials and both local and international brands.

The outlet also features several specialty sections, including a Coconut Corner, Wellness Corner and a dedicated area catering to pet care products.

Speaking at the opening, SPAR Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Kumar de Silva said the new outlet reflects the company’s commitment to delivering a “glocal” shopping experience by combining international retail standards with local customer preferences.

“Our Kurunegala outlet reflects our dedication to providing customers with the best range, superior quality and exceptional service under one roof,” he said.

The store also offers SPAR’s signature fresh food concepts, including in-store bakery products, ready-to-eat meals and freshly prepared juices aimed at meeting the needs of busy consumers.

The company said customers will benefit from a range of promotional offers, loyalty rewards, weekend deals and seasonal discounts.

SPAR Sri Lanka said the expansion would also contribute to local economic development through employment generation and support for local suppliers, further strengthening the country’s retail sector.

Pic and Text by SK Samaranayake

Business

Royal end title drought with dramatic shootout triumph

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

The victorious Royal College Under-20 hockey team pose with the championship trophy after emerging unbeaten champions of the All Island Under-20 Hockey Tournament at the Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale. Front row (left to right): Ronal Edirimanne, Sulaiman Shihar, Gunitha Dissanayake, Dilsara Prabath, Kumuthulu Goonathilake, Savain Karunasiri, Vidu Wijesinghe, Seth Pathirathne, Pasindu Epa and Hirun Lindula. Back row (left to right): Stefan Anthonypillai, Geesath Bathisa, Haazim Dhailamy, Teacher-in-Charge Uditha Kumara, Coach Damith Panditharatne, Captain Aathif Faleel, Kithmina Rathnayake, Vice Captain Lithum Karunasiri, Nehan Wijayanayake, Yusuf Shihar, Ruvi Perera and Rumal Jayasinghe.

Royal College, Colombo, emerged unbeaten champions of the All-Island Under-20 Hockey Tournament after defeating defending champions St. Thomas’ College, Matale, in a nail-biting sudden-death penalty shootout at the Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale last week.

The final ended in a 1-1 draw after Royal equalised five minutes from time to cancel out the Matale side’s earlier lead.

With the penalty shootout also ending in a 4-4 deadlock, the match proceeded to sudden death. The Reid Avenue outfit eventually prevailed in the second round of sudden-death penalties to clinch the title.

A brilliant save by goalkeeper Stefan Anthonipillai, who stretched to his right to deny a crucial attempt, and the decisive conversion by Rumal Jayasinghe helped Royal secure the Under-20 championship for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 2014.

Royal’s centre-forward Savain Karunasiri was one of the team’s standout performers throughout the tournament, scoring crucial goals, including strikes in both the semi-final and the final. Anthonipillai was equally impressive, guarding the goal superbly throughout the seven-match campaign.

Royal finished runners-up when the tournament was held in Matale last year.

The Colombo school produced a series of consistent performances despite having to play on an uneven grass surface that was not ideally suited to the fast-paced modern game.

Royal began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Christ Church College, Matale, before defeating arch-rivals St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, 1-0. They then beat Kingswood College, Kandy, 2-0 and Maris Stella College, Negombo, 2-1 to top their group.

In the quarter-final, coach Damith Panditharatne’s side overcame fancied Dharmadutha College, Badulla, by 2-0.

Royal then edged out St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa, 1-0 in the semi-final, adopting a disciplined defensive approach against the aggressively attacking Puttalam outfit.

In the other semi-final, St. Thomas’ College, Matale defeated Trinity College, Kandy, 3-1. St. Joseph Vaz later beat Trinity 1-0 in the third-place playoff.

Panditharatne’s five-year development programme, with a strong emphasis on fitness, stamina and technical skills, played a key role in Royal’s success. The title marked Royal’s first national Under-20 tournament triumph since winning the National Schools Games in 2017.

A former national player, Air Force striker and Sri Lanka Police coach, Panditharatne has focused on addressing the weaknesses of individual players while building a cohesive unit. The former Christ Church College, Matale player has been coaching Royal since 2022 with the support of the Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC), comprising former Royal hockey players.

For his outstanding performances, Anthonipillai was adjudged the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Royal College was also named the Most Disciplined Team of the Tournament.