Business
Dialog supports the Gangarama Navam Perahera for the 10th consecutive year

As a key contributor of the major cultural and religious festivals in Sri Lanka, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, once again extended its support to the Gangarama Navam Perahera for the 10th consecutive year. The perahera took place on February 15 to 16.
In its 43rd run, the highly anticipated Gangarama Navam Perahera has been a beacon of light for the people of Sri Lanka since its inception in 1979. A significant day for Buddhists, the Navam Full Moon Poya Day, celebrates the appointment of Lord Buddha’s two chief disciples and the first-ever Buddhist Council held after his passing. The Gangarama temple, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, has held colourful and ebullient Peraheras, bathing the streets of Colombo in a sea of lights, flags, whip crackers, fire dancers, flag bearers, drummers and more to mark the importance of this day, while also cementing its status as a procession which upholds Sri Lanka’s rich culture and brings together communities from all walks of life. As the world goes into its third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 43rd Gangarama Navam Perahera adhered to strict health and safety regulations, including hosting a limited number of artistes and spectators. His Excellency, the President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was also in attendance.
Dialog, a leading public listed company and one of the main advocators of Sri Lankan culture and heritage, has been a long-term patron of many cultural events, including the Kandy Esala Perahera, Kelani Duruthu Maha Perahera, Baudhaloka Vesak Kalapaya, Sri Buddha Rashmi Vesak Kalapaya at Gangaramaya, Katharagama Esala Perahera , Gatabaru Esala Perahera , and Kotte Raja Maha Vihara Perahera . This is also in line with the company’s many efforts towards the preservation of Sri Lankan traditions and heritage, most notably, constructing the vestibule for the Dimbulagala Aranya Senasanaya, launching a website & publishing an updated directory of Amarapura Maha Nikaya Temples, restoring the Anuradhapura Maha Vihara Sannipatha Shalawa and contributing to the upliftment of Sri Lanka’s rich cultural history.
Business
Exterminators PLC certified as great place to work

Exterminators PLC announces that it has been certified as a Great Place to Work for the second year in a row. This achievement reaffirms our commitment to creating an environment that fosters learning, development, and success for our staff members. The certification was awarded after an independent audit and certification process conducted by the renowned organisation Great Place to Work (GPTW), which evaluated our company across various focus areas. Exterminators PLC excelled in the Trust Index, scoring high points in all focus areas during the certification process.
“The challenges we faced over the past twelve months were unprecedented. We are proud of our coworkers, who kept our business operating without interruption by working collaboratively and courageously and leaning on our collective creativity, innovation, and passion. Our slogan was ‘How can we’ keep the promise we made? and we constantly innovated to get the job done, no matter how difficult it was.
We are grateful to our coworkers who collaborated with us during these most challenging times and for their pure commitment and loyalty towards Exterminators PLC, which kept us moving forward despite unprecedented obstacles.” Marlon Ferreira the Managing Director said.
Business
SLT-MOBITEL mTunes introduces ‘Be a Millionaire’ promo

Bringing elevated lifestyle experiences, SLT-MOBITEL is offering users the ultimate chance to turn music into wealth with its new ‘Be a Millionaire’ promo on mTunes.mTunes is a digital lifestyle service that allows customers to personalise their Caller Ring Back Tone (CRBT) with their favourite songs or audio content. It adds a unique and personalised touch to phone calls, allowing customers to express their originality and preferences with their loved ones.
With a vast collection of songs on the mTunes platform, the ‘Be a Millionaire’ promo offers users the opportunity to connect with their hearts’ content and win big cash prizes. From September 1st to November 30th, 2023, the ‘Be a Millionaire’ promo on mTunes promises incredible prizes for lucky participants. The grand prize is an amazing Rupees One million (Rs. 1,000,000) with additional rewards of Rs. 100,000 for the second winner and Rs. 50,000 for the third place. But the path to wealth does not end; seven more lucky winners will receive Rs. 10,000 each, and every week, there will be twelve lucky winners of Rs. 10,000 each in cash prizes.
Participating in the promotion is easy. Existing and new CRBT users have the chance to win these fantastic prizes, including becoming millionaires, by simply activating more mTunes during the promotional period. With multiple cash prizes available, there are numerous opportunities to win every week. The ‘Be a Millionaire’ promotion is a golden opportunity to make dreams come true.
Users can increase their chances of winning by simply activating more mTunes daily. Users can also experience the fun, excitement, and entertainment offered by mTunes and enjoy the world of music.
For more information, contact mTunes at 777 or visit mtunes.mobitel.lk
Business
Lanka can build strong tourism ‘eco-brand’: UN official

By NETHMI RAJAWASAM
ECONOMYNEXT –Sri Lanka can build an ‘eco-brand’ catering especially to younger tourists who feel strongly about the environment, United Nations Resident Representative to Sri Lanka, Azusa Kobota said.
About 70 percent of global travellers prioritise sustainability in their holiday choices, marking a ten percent increase from 2021, while around 30 percent of travellers feel guilty about flying, due to carbon emissions, she said.
“As the world embraces green thinking during this time of economic recovery efforts, the objective of the tourism sector cannot simply be about increasing the number of inbound tourists,” Kobota said at an event marking World Tourism Day in Colombo.
“It has to be about enhancing their experience through green lenses, by implementing a responsible, eco-conscious paradigm for the sector and building a stronger eco-brand around the sustainable agenda for Sri Lanka,”
“This is no longer about reducing the trade offs between growing the industry and protecting the environment.
“We must see nature as our asset and solutions to be obtained for the exponential growth for our future generations.”
The sustainable tourism market is estimated to have earned 195 billion US dollars in 2022, and is expected to reach about 656 billion US dollars in 2032, she said.
“Tourists, particularly the younger generations from gen X,Y,Z are deeply, deeply conscious about the long term choices of their actions, and the adverse impact of tourists on the environment.
“Statistics show that a significant proportion of global travellers, about 30 percent, feel guilty about flying due to the environmental impact and 22 percent say they actively prefer public transport and bicycle rental options, over renting a car.”
Sri Lanka welcomed one million tourists by September 26 and is expecting more that 1.5 million tourists by the end of the year.
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