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Connecting the world to stories that matter

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11 months ago

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A Lost Place (SoutheastAsia and Oceania- Open Format)

BY RANDIMA ATTYGALLE

What struck me immediately as I stepped into Colombo’s Arcade Independence Square hosting the World Press Photo Exhibition 2024 was Anne Ranasinghe’s Vivere in Pace in which the poet expounds:

‘You are reviewing an art, not the emotion

that caused it to blossom,

judging technique, design, effect.’

The fine capturing of myriad emotions in the winning photographs from six regions of the world is such that a Lankan viewer is driven to stop and ponder beyond the technique, design and effect; of physical and emotional scars inflicted on fellow humans transcending geographical, ethnic and religious boundaries. Back in 1980 when Anne Ranasinghe penned her poem, the nearest, us Lankans ‘have been to violent death was on the cinema screen’. Today, for many of us Lankans, the horrors of Gaza frozen on a lens, have become a collective experience…

World Press Photo Foundation

Based in Amsterdam, The World Press Photo Foundation established in 1955, is a global platform connecting photojournalists, documentary photographers and audiences worldwide through trustworthy storytelling. The foundation organizes the much sought-after World Press Photo Contest which recognizes and celebrates the best photojournalism and documentary photography across the world and connects the world to the stories that matter, promoting understanding and empathy across cultures.

World Press Photo Exhibition 2024 features the winning entries of its 67th edition. The 24 winners, six honorable mentions and two jury special mentions were selected by an independent jury of 31 eminent professionals around the world, out of 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries. The exhibition which is now on a world-wide tour is presently touring here at home and is organised by the Netherlands Embassy in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI). This year’s exhibition is also significant, marking its return to the island after more than two decades. It last toured here in 2003.

A collective memory of the world

Commenting on the award-winning entries capturing critical social and environmental issues, human experiences and global stories, Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka remarked at the press briefing announcing the exhibition: “Each photograph carries a story with it and makes us reflect on the events that happened. While some pictures are based on themes of war and suffering, others bring hope and joy. These photographs form a collective memory of the world and through these images, the stories of hundreds of photographers witnessing world events are being told to us. I believe that showcasing global issues through press photography will no doubt spark engagement and discussion. Looking through the lens of a photographer can help societies and people reflect on their own opinion and perception, as well as spark social change.”

From devastating conflicts and political upheaval to the climate crisis and the safe passage of migrants, the award-winning works documents some of the most pressing issues facing the world today. In bringing together such important stories, the selection encourages greater understanding and awareness of current events and serves as a reminder of the need for press freedom in all corners of the world. Since 2021, the contest has embraced a regional strategy, ensuring greater geographical and cultural diversity among participating photographers.

Over the years, the categories into which photos were grouped in the contest have evolved. Category names, focus and classifications have changed over the decades, and the 2022 Contest saw a shift once again, to be more globally representative with four format-based categories: Singles, Stories, Long-Term Projects, and Open Format, for each of the six global regions.

Beyond visual imagery

The World Press Photograph of the Year by Mohammed Salem titled ‘A Palestinian woman embraces the body of her niece’ is a heart-wrenching image of Inas Abu Maamar cradling her five-year-old niece who was killed along with her mother and sister when as Israeli missile struck their home in Khan Younis, Gaza. The photo taken by Salem for Reuters just days after his own wife gave birth is a ‘powerful and sad moment that sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip’. Salem, a photojournalist based in the Gaza Strip, found Inas squatting on the ground, embracing the child, at the Nasser Hospital morgue where residents were going to search for missing relatives.

World Press Photo Story of the Year ‘Valim-babena’ is a thought-provoking entry which is testimony to power of photography beyond its visual appeal. The photograph which depicts Dada Paul and his granddaughter Odliatemix getting ready to go to church in Antananario, Madagascar looks an ordinary photo of a grandfather and a granddaughter at first glance. Yet, the story behind it illustrates the Malagasy principle of valim-babena– the duty of grown children to help their parents.

Paul Rakotozandriny, ‘Dada Paul’ (91) has lived with dementia for 11 years, and is cared for by his daughter Fara Rafaraniriana (41). For nine of those years, no-one knew Dada Paul was ill. His ten children assumed he had “gone mad” or attributed the symptoms to excessive alcohol consumption. Only his daughter Fara noticed something different when her father, a retired chauffeur, couldn’t find his way home after picking her up from work one day. She had never heard of the terms dementia or Alzheimer’s, but was advised to contact Masoandro Mody, the only organization in Madagascar that provides support and training to family members of people living with dementia. The organization provided her the knowledge and support she needed to care for Dada Paul.

Australian-based photographer Eddie Jim’s ‘Fighting, Not Sinking’ which clinched ‘Singles’ category from Southeast Asia and Oceania portrays Lotomau Fiafia, a community elder who stands with his grandson John at the point where he remembers the shoreline used to be when he was a boy in Salia Bay, Kioa Island in Fiji. Experiences of individuals like Lotomau provide first-hand insight into the consequences of rising sea levels on people’s ways of life. His story emphasizes the magnitude of change that has taken place in just one lifetime and makes the climate change crisis tangible to a wider audience.

Mirror of global events

Speaking to Sunday Island at the opening of the exhibition, Exhibitions Manager and Curator of World Press Photo, Martha Echevarria Gonzalez remarked: “what is exciting about this event is that we can start conversations, open up dialogues on topics that people will find difficult to talk about and this global effort can become a mirror of what happened in the world in the past few years.” Gonzalez who is on her maiden visit to the island also noted that the exhibition’s return to the island after more than 20 years is an encouragement for local photographers to get insights and to have more submissions in coming years. “The winning entries also speak for the fact that the event recognizes talent from under-served regions,” she added.

Benchmarking with global standards

Urging more local submission for 2025 edition of World Press Photo, Chief Executive Officer of the SLPI, Kumar Lopez remarked that the touring exhibition is an eye-opener for both our photojournalists and editors to take a wider angle in capturing photos in a different light. “For example, ‘stories’ category urges photojournalists to capture not just a single event, but a series which tells serious stories which can help address certain society norms, issues and challenges and build a better society.” Lopez went onto note that photography has expanded beyond mainstream media into social media platforms enabling photo enthusiasts to build their own brands while visually narrating stories that matter. Lopez also remarked that continuous training in photography and dialogues with internationally reputed photojournalists, facilitated by SLPI gives a fillip to local talent to benchmark themselves with global standards.

Students of photography at the SLPI, Dinushkar Premkumar and Dilushi Wijesinghe applauded the initiative to be a tool of widening their horizons. A budding photojournalist, Dilushi, while encouraging more women to take up serious photojournalism noted that events such as World Press Photo provides insights into new techniques as well as ethics in photojournalism. “The winning entries which depict survivors of sexual violence for example, offers understanding of ethical portrayal of them while creating critical dialogue on social evils.” She also remarked that unconventional story-telling through photography deserves more space in local mainstream media.

The World Press Photo Exhibition which was inaugurated in Colombo on Jan 10, will be at the Arcade Independence Square till Monday Jan 20 and will return to Colombo on Saturday, February 8 – 10 at The Forum, Cinnamon Life. It will be open in Jaffna from Jan 24 to 27 (at the Jaffna Cultural Centre) and in Galle from Jan 31 to February 2 (Galle Municipal Hall). The exhibition will be open to public from 10.30 am to7 pm at all above locations.

Pic credit: World Press Photo


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Life style

Celebration of taste, culture and elegance

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1 day ago

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2025/12/7

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Ambassador Damiano, Jagatheeswaran, Barbara Troila and Ambassador of Vietnam, Trinh Thi Tam

Italian Cuisine Week

This year’s edition of Italian Cuisine Week in Sri Lanka unfolded with unmistakable charm, elegance and flavour as the Italian Embassy introduced a theme that captured the very soul of Italian social life ‘Apertivo and’ Stuzzichini’ This year’s celebration brought together diplomats, food lovers, chefs and Colombo’s society crowd for an evening filled with authenticity, refinement and the unmistakable charm of Italian hospitality.

Hosted at the Italian ambassador’s Residence in Colombo, the evening brought Italy’s golden hour ritual to life, embracing the warmth of Mediterranean hospitality and sophistication of Colombo social scene.

The ambience at the residence of the Italian Ambassador, effortlessly refined, evoked the timeless elegance of Milanese evening culture where ‘Apertivo’ is not just a drink , but a moment of pause, connection and pleasure. Guests were greeted with the aromas of apertivo classics and artisanal stuzzichini,curated specially for this edition. From rustic regional flavours to contemporary interpretations the embassy ‘s tables paid homage to Italy’s diverse culinary landscape.

, Italy’s small bites meant to tempt the palate before meal. Visiting Italian chefs worked alongside Colombo’s leading culinary teams to curate a menu that showcased regional authenticity though elegant bite sized creations. The Italian Ambassador of Italy in Sri Damiano Francovigh welcomed guests with heartfelt remarks on the significant of the theme, highlighting how “Apertivo”embodies the essence of Italy’s culinary identity, simple, social and rooted in tradition.

Sri Lanka’s participation in Italian Cuisine Week for ten consecutive years stands as a testament to the friendship between the two countries. This year focus on ‘Apertivo’ and ‘Stuzzichini’ added a fresh, dimension to that relationship, one that emphasised not only flavours, but shaped cultural values of hospitality, family and warmth. This year’s ‘Apertivo’ and “Stuzzichini’ theme brought a refreshing twist to Italian Cuisine Week. It reminded Sri Lankan guests t hat sometimes the most memorable culinary experiences come not from elaborate feasts but from the simplicity of serving small plates with good company.

Italian Cuisine Week 2025 in Sri Lanka may have showcased flavours, but more importantly it showcased connection and in the warm glow of Colombo’s evening Apertivo came alive not just as an Italian tradition.

(Pix by Dharmasena Wellipitiya)

By Zanita Careem

The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is one of the longest-running thematic reviews promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Founded in 2016 to carry forward the themes of Expo Milano 2015—quality, sustainability, food

safety, territory, biodiversity, identity, and education—the event annually showcases the excellence and global reach of Italy’s food and wine sector.

Since its inauguration, the Week has been celebrated with over 10,000 events in more than 100 countries, ranging from tastings, show cooking and masterclasses to seminars, conferences, exhibitions and business events, with a major inaugural event hosted annually in Rome at the Farnesina, the HQ of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The 10th edition of the Italian Cuisine Week in the World.

In 2025, the Italian Cuisine Week in the World reaches its tenth edition.

The theme chosen for this anniversary is “Italian cuisine between culture, health and innovation.”

This edition highlights Italian cuisine as a mosaic of knowledge and values, where each tile reflects a story about the relationship with food.

The initiatives of the 10th Edition aim to:

promote understanding of Italian cuisine, also in the context of its candidacy for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage;

demonstrate how Italian cuisine represents a healthy, balanced, and sustainable food model, supporting the prevention of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes;

emphasize the innovation and research that characterize every stage of the Italian food chain, from production to processing, packaging, distribution, consumption, reuse, and recycling

The following leading hotels in Colombo Amari Colombo, Cinnamon Life, ITC Ratnadipa and The Kingsbury join in the celebration by hosting Italian chefs throughout the Week.

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Life style

Ethical beauty takes centre stage

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1 day ago

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2025/12/7

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Body Shop team

The Body Shop marked a radiant new chapter in Sri Lanka with the opening of its boutique at One Galle Face Mall, an event that blended conscious beauty, festive sparkle and lifestyle elegance. British born and globally loved beauty brand celebrates ten successful years in Sri lanka with the launch of its new store at the One Galle Face Mall. The event carried an added touch of prestige as the British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick to Sri Lanka attended as the Guest of honour.

His participation elevated the event highlighting the brand’s global influence and underscored the strong UK- Sri Lanka connection behind the Body Shop’s global heritage and ethical values.

Chief guest British Ambassador Andrew Patrick at the Body Shop

Celebrating ten years of the Brand’s presence in the country, the launch became a true milestone in Colombo’s evolving beauty landscape.

Also present were the Body Shop Sri Lanka Director, Kosala Rohana Wickramasinghe, Shriti malhotra, Executive chairperson,Quest Retail.The Body shop South Asia and Vishal Chaturvedi , Chief Revenue Officer-The Body South Asia The boutique showcased the brand’s

complete range from refreshing Tea Tree skin care to the iconic body butters to hair care essentials each product enhancing the Body Shop’s values of cruelty ,fair trade formulation, fair trade ingredients and environmentally mindful packaging.

The store opening also unveiled the much anticipated festive season collection.

With its elegant atmosphere, engaging product experiences and the distinguished present of the British High Commissioner, it was an evening that blended glamour with conscience With its fresh inviting space at Colombo’ premier mall, the Body Shop begins a a new decade of inspiring Sri Lankan consumers to choose greener beauty.

 

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Life style

Ladies’ Night lights up Riyadh

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1 day ago

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2025/12/7

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Queens of grace

The Cultural Forum of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia brought back Ladies’ Night 2025 on November 7 at the Holiday Inn Al Qasr Hotel. After a hiatus of thirteen years, Riyadh shimmered once again as Ladies’ Night returned – an elegant celebration revived under the chairperson Manel Gamage and her team. The chief guest for the occasion was Azmiya Ameer Ajwad, spouse of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to K. S. A. There were other dignitaries too.

The show stopper was Lisara Fernando finalist from the voice Sri Lankan Seasons, wowed the crowd with her stunning performances. The excitement continued with a lively beauty pageant, where Ilham Shamara Azhar was crowned the beauty queen of the night. Thanks to a thrilling raffle draw, many lucky guests walked away with fabulous prizes, courtesy of generous sponsors.

The evening unfolded with a sense of renewal, empowerment and refined glamour drawing together the women for a night that was both historic and beautifully intimate. From dazzling couture to modern abayas, from soft light installation to curated entertainment, the night carried the unmistakable energy.

Once a cherished annual tradition, Ladies’ Night had long held a special space in Riyadh’s cultural calendar. But due to Covid this event was not held until this year in November. This year it started with a bang. After years Ladies’ Night returned bringing with a burst of colour, confidence and long-awaited camaraderie.

It became a symbol of renewal. This year began with a vibrant surge of energy. The decor blended soft elegance with modern modernity cascading its warm ambient lighting and shimmering accents that turned the venue into a chic, feminine oasis, curated by Shamila Abusally, Praveen Jayasinghe and Hasani Weerarathne setting the perfect atmosphere while compères Rashmi Fernando and Gayan Wijeratne kept the energy high and kept the guests on their toes making the night feel intimate yet grand.

Conversations flowed as freely as laughter. Women from different backgrounds, nationalities and professions came together united by an unspoken bond of joy and renewal. Ladies’ Night reflected a broader narrative of change. Riyadh today is confidently evolving and culturally dynamic.

The event celebrated was honouring traditions while empowering international flair.

As the night drew to a close, there was a shared sense that this event was only the beginning. The applause, the smiles, the sparkles in the air, all hinted at an event that is set to redeem its annual place with renewed purpose in the future. Manel Gamage and her team’s Ladies’ Night in Riyadh became more than a social occasion. It became an emblem of elegance, and reflected a vibrant new chapter of Saudi Arabia’s capital.

Thanks to Nihal Gamage and Nirone Disanayake, too, Ladies’ night proved to be more than event,it was a triumphant celebration of community, culture and an unstoppable spirit of Sr Lankan women in Riyadh

In every smile shared every dance step taken and every moment owned unapologetically Sr Lankan women in Riyadh continue to show unstoppable. Ladies’ Night is simply the spotlight that will shine forever .This night proved to be more than an event, it was a triumphant celebration of community, culture and the unstoppable spirit of Sri Lankan women in Riyadh.

In every smile shared, every dance steps taken and every moment owned unapologetically Sri Lankan women in Riyadh continue to show that their spirit is unstoppable. Ladies’ Night was simply the spotlight and the night closed on a note of pride!

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