Features

Scandinavian aid and World View International Foundation

Published

3 years ago

2023/03/26

Excerpted from volume ii of the Sarath Amunugama autobiography

Norway which was a poor country at the beginning of the 20th century quickly became very rich after the discovery of North Sea oil. These offshore oil deposits in the cold seas between Norway and Scotland changed the fortunes of Scandinavian countries which earlier depended on fishing for their national income. Another factor was that Norway was a Protestant Christian country which believed, as much as feasible, in social equality and charity. All Norwegian churches collect a tithe which is reserved for charity.

Much of their missionary work was in East Africa, particularly Tanzania, where the local people were not subject to extreme cruelty as in the Belgian Congo or South Africa. Norwegian missionary activity was benign because they had no imperial ambitions. For instance Julius Nyrere, the Tanzanian leader was a Christian, schooled in a Nordic missionary institution. It was much later that Norway was interested in Asia – Sri Lanka in particular. Like other Scandinavian countries which had got rich and also had a history of brutal subjugation by Nazi rulers in the thirties and forties.

Norway set up a foreign funding agency called NORAD. NORAD began to fund small projects in South -Asia- At this juncture most western donor agencies began to select ‘target countries’ where they could invest with the hope of obtaining good results. With JRJ’s policies which were perceived as ‘rolling back socialism’ and being more liberal in associating with foreign donors, Sri Lanka became the number one target country for donors like NORAD, SIDA [Sweden], FINNIDA [Finland], DANIDA [Denmark] and CIDA [Canada].

Our Finance Ministry was in a good position to negotiate with these donor agencies on the basis of viable project proposals. We had excellent bureaucrats like David Loos, Nihal Kappagoda, Wickreme Weerasooria, Sivagnanam and Akiel Mohamed who could interact with these agencies easily and efficiently. Foreign aid flowed freely to Sri Lanka before the communal riots of 1983.

The World View Foundation was born in this milieu. Two young cyclists from Jaffna had reached Oslo. Radio Norway sent one of its talented reporters named Arne Fjortoft to cover this story. Arne and his wife Ragnar were well known TV and radio journalists and they not only featured the story of the cyclists and found jobs for them in Norway but also wanted to help the people of the North by setting up a factory to make and repair fishing boats. This was a Norad funded project which was approved by the Sri Lankan government and was named the CEY-NOR which even today is managed by our Ministry of Fisheries.

But this was a very bad time for building and repairing boats because very soon the Tamil insurgents [many of whom were later to establish the LTTE] acquired some of these boats. The sea was their lifeline for survival as they could retreat to a ‘base area’ in southern India whenever they were on retreat from the SL army. CEY-NOR was sponsored by the GA Jaffna Wimal Amarasekere but by accident or design it became a project of great interest to the terrorists.

Arne handed over CEY-NOR to the GA and came down to Colombo. Here going back to his familiar trade he entered the field of Information and Communication and set up the World View Foundation with partial support from NORAD. His first contact was with our Ministry but Anandatissa was lukewarm about sponsoring a foreign NGO. At that time Hameed, the Foreign minister, had established links with Scandinavian countries and was soliciting funding for projects in his electorate. He had obtained funds from FINNIDA for a water project in Harispattuwa which was so irregular that it led to an inquiry in the Finnish Parliament and the sacking of the Head of FINNIDA after the media highlighted his culpability.

Hameed’s unorthodox behavior of soliciting funds bypassing the Finance Ministry was referred to President JRJ and a circular was issued by the Treasury prohibiting Ministers from soliciting funds for their own projects outside the procedures laid out by the Department of External Resources. Despite the Harispattuwa scandal Hameed persisted in soliciting funds from foreign countries. A donation from a Korean businessman was not accounted for and a police investigation was launched. An indictment was ready in the Attorney General’s office during President CBK’s tenure when Hameed died suddenly of a heart attack.

While Anandatissa hesitated Hameed jumped into the fray. He accepted the post of Chairman of the Board of WIF. Arne had established WIF with a powerful Board of distinguished personalities which included Bondevick who became the Prime Minister of Norway. At a later time Arne himself contested for a seat in the Norwegian Parliament as a party leader and was expected to be the Minister of Development Assistance but his party fared disastrously and he could not make it. I had visited his electorate Stavvanger with him and was surprised when he was defeated.

WIF contributed to our TV training which was badly needed m view of our foray into Television. I visited Nepal, Thailand and Bangladesh where WIF ran important projects. The ‘power ‘, behind the Nepali throne’, Royal Councillor Chiran Thapa was on the WIF Board as was Police General Chavalit of Thailand. In Bangladesh Mohammed Yunus was a leading member of WIF.

I will refer here to two imaginative projects undertaken by WIF. In Nepal where there was incredible poverty in the highlands WIF pioneered the ‘TV letter to the King’. Our young cameramen went to the poorest villages and recorded the complaints of the villagers which we screened for the King as arranged by Chiran Thapa. This disclosure, we were told, had distressed the King who initiated action on land reform in our target village. The Director of the ‘TV letter’ project, a young US returned Nepali Subhadra Belbase, later became well-known in Kathmandu as a social activist.

After WIF Subhadra joined the UN to work among Nepali farmers. The Bangladeshi project attempted to tackle river blindness which was caused by malnutrition. We were told that the simple remedy for this disease which was caused by the lack of a vitamin was readily found in a variety of Banana recommended by WHO and found in plenty in the delta. With the help of the ‘Thana’ or divisional administration WIF undertook a publicity programme followed by the distribution of banana shoots for the poor who could not even afford that. This was a successful project which was later adopted by the Bangladesh government with good results.

WIF was the first international organization to popularize the Yunus concept of setting up groups of credit worthy village women entrepreneurs which was later picked up and recommended by the World Bank. Perhaps the promotion of Yunus in the Norwegian media helped in his selection for the Nobel Prize which is a Scandinavian initiative. There were many such projects including the introduction of media studies to the University of Chiang Mai in Thailand, which earned a niche in practical development strategies for WIF unlike the discussion oriented AMIC. Unlike AMIC many UN development agencies worked closely with WIF. However they ran into problems after expanding faster than they could cope with.

UNESCO

The global debate on the New Information Order took a greater urgency due to the rapid escalation of the Cold War. With the ascent to power of Ronald Reagan as President of the US, the laid back approach of Jimmy Carter was replaced by a greater competitive spirit. While special attention was paid to the arms race because only the US economy was strong enough to produce `both guns and butter’, the USSR economy had to choose one or the other. Reagan’s challenge by unleashing his ‘Star Wars’ weapons programme, undercut the Soviet boast that they were on a par with the West.

At the same time resurgent China, having overcome the disastrous Cultural Revolution, was also gaining ground and the rapprochement of Nixon and Mao was perceived as a potential threat to Soviet hegemony. With the Vietnam War concluded, the US could now focus on its economic strength. All these cross currents were at play in the international arena. The UN system in particular was under scrutiny by the US which kept on proclaiming that it was the UN’s major financial contributor.

Reagan took a personal interest in the Information debate. He rightly perceived that it was a veiled attack on American dominance all the way from his favourite Hollywood film industry to the new communications frontier technology which was a byproduct of their space research programmes. They were now spoiling for a fight. The President revamped the USIS or Information Service [which was rebranded as USIA – the Information Agency] and placed it under a crony who had been a band leader in Hollywood.

As Secretary of the Ministry of Information I was invited to tour the USA and view its communications facilities. This tour which was sponsored by the US Education Foundation took me from the East coast to Hollywood in the West coast and onto Hawaii and back to Colombo through Japan. It was an amazingly well-organized tour which had been arranged with the cooperation of our embassy in Washington. The Ambassador at that time was Professor W.S. Karunaratne whom I knew from my Peradeniya days. He had arranged a dinner at his residence with eminent Washingtonians who knew me.

Among them were Howard Simon of the Washington Post who had played a major role in exposing President Nixon over the Watergate scandal. Howard was a keen ornithologist who had visited Sri Lanka the previous year to study birds in our hill country. One day he burst into my office to complain that he could not get a hotel room near Kandy. I immediately telephoned Hunnas Falls Hotel which was supervised by the Hotels Corporation in my Ministry, and arranged for a deluxe apartment. His bird watching was a success and he wrote from Washington to thank me.

He gladly accepted our Ambassador’s invitation for dinner. We also had Dillon Ripley from the Smithsonian Institute. My Ministry had supported the survey of wild life in our country, particularly the elephant population, and their chief local contact was Lyn de Alwis, the head of the Zoological Gardens and a legend in our times. Lyn was a difficult person and I had to intervene several times on his behalf because I knew of his dedication.

The Pinnawela. Elephant Orphanage and later the Singapore Zoo were his creations. Another dinner invitee was Alan Whicker who brought his TV unit to Sri Lanka for a coverage for his popular TV series. Indra de Silva who was my friend from USIS Colombo had taken early retirement and had been granted US citizenship. He was living in Washington and had contacted several American diplomats who had served in Sri Lanka. They too were present, making the evening a very pleasant and productive one for our Embassy.

In this tour the first stop was Washington where I visited the Congress on the Hill and spoke to some Congressmen who were interested in the communications debate. Then I spent time in the Aeronautical and Space Exhibition Centre which was a novel attraction in Washington with its displays of original spacecraft and details of the moon landing. I was permitted to touch the moonrock that had been brought back to earth by the Astronauts. The Curator of the Exhibition was a close friend of Arthur Clarke whose name opened many doors for me in the space research world.

Then I flew to Los Angeles and was lodged in the famous Wiltshire Hilton which was patronized by Hollywood film stars. From there I took a cab to Burbank which was being transformed from a Hollywood movie lot to shooting floors for several upcoming Television series. TV was fast taking over from the classic film studios of the past like Paramount, MGM and Twentieth Century Fox. Movie production was being passed over to the ‘Independents’ or movie makers who made their own films and came to the ‘movie giants’ only for distributing their films.

Since I was from Asia I was taken to a film distribution Office in Wiltshire Boulevard. I was surprised to find that their whole Asian film distribution system was computerized and required only a few secretaries and accountants to manage the operation. This contrasted with our Film Corporation which was full of political appointees who were running the distribution operation with a mountain of files.

Leaving Los Angeles I flew to Honolulu to renew my contacts in the University where my friend Professor Juergensmayer was the Head of the Department of Religious Studies. I also met Mary Bitterman who served as the head of Voice of America under President Carter and Wimal Dissanayake attached to the East-West Centre. It was also an oppornunity to meet ‘Babu’ Wickremeratne and his family again and join in a cook out on Waikiki Beach.

My impressions of the US approach to the New Order debate and reading of the literature about it was useful for the Asian in UNESCO. It was clear that because of his Hollywood ground and links with the communications equipment manufacturers, Reagan would take a personal interest in this debate unlike in the past when State Department officials called the shots. He was also committed to the notion of a ‘free press’ partly because it was related to the First Amendment of the US Constiution and partly because it was a vital ingredient in his commitment to confront Communism. But he was open to the argument that the US would be a beneficiary in the investment communications technology and therefore should engage positively with the ongoing debate.

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Features

Race hate and the need to re-visit the ‘Clash of Civilizations’

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/25

Sahan Weerasooriya

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: ‘No to race hate’

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done very well to speak-up against and outlaw race hate in the immediate aftermath of the recent cold-blooded gunning down of several civilians on Australia’s Bondi Beach. The perpetrators of the violence are believed to be ardent practitioners of religious and race hate and it is commendable that the Australian authorities have lost no time in clearly and unambiguously stating their opposition to the dastardly crimes in question.

The Australian Prime Minister is on record as stating in this connection: ‘ New laws will target those who spread hate, division and radicalization. The Home Affairs Minister will also be given new powers to cancel or refuse visas for those who spread hate and a new taskforce will be set up to ensure the education system prevents, tackles and properly responds to antisemitism.’

It is this promptness and single-mindedness to defeat race hate and other forms identity-based animosities that are expected of democratic governments in particular world wide. For example, is Sri Lanka’s NPP government willing to follow the Australian example? To put the record straight, no past governments of Sri Lanka initiated concrete measures to stamp out the evil of race hate as well but the present Sri Lankan government which has pledged to end ethnic animosities needs to think and act vastly differently. Democratic and progressive opinion in Sri Lanka is waiting expectantly for the NPP government’ s positive response; ideally based on the Australian precedent to end race hate.

Meanwhile, it is apt to remember that inasmuch as those forces of terrorism that target white communities world wide need to be put down their counterpart forces among extremist whites need to be defeated as well. There could be no double standards on this divisive question of quashing race and religious hate, among democratic governments.

The question is invariably bound up with the matter of expeditiously and swiftly advancing democratic development in divided societies. To the extent to which a body politic is genuinely democratized, to the same degree would identity based animosities be effectively managed and even resolved once and for all. To the extent to which a society is deprived of democratic governance, correctly understood, to the same extent would it experience unmanageable identity-bred violence.

This has been Sri Lanka’s situation and generally it could be stated that it is to the degree to which Sri Lankan citizens are genuinely constitutionally empowered that the issue of race hate in their midst would prove manageable. Accordingly, democratic development is the pressing need.

While the dramatic blood-letting on Bondi Beach ought to have driven home to observers and commentators of world politics that the international community is yet to make any concrete progress in the direction of laying the basis for an end to identity-based extremism, the event should also impress on all concerned quarters that continued failure to address the matters at hand could prove fatal. The fact of the matter is that identity-based extremism is very much alive and well and that it could strike devastatingly at a time and place of its choosing.

It is yet premature for the commentator to agree with US political scientist Samuel P. Huntingdon that a ‘Clash of Civilizations’ is upon the world but events such as the Bondi Beach terror and the continuing abduction of scores of school girls by IS-related outfits, for instance, in Northern Africa are concrete evidence of the continuing pervasive presence of identity-based extremism in the global South.

As a matter of great interest it needs mentioning that the crumbling of the Cold War in the West in the early nineties of the last century and the explosive emergence of identity-based violence world wide around that time essentially impelled Huntingdon to propound the hypothesis that the world was seeing the emergence of a ‘Clash of Civilizations’. Basically, the latter phrase implied that the Cold War was replaced by a West versus militant religious fundamentalism division or polarity world wide. Instead of the USSR and its satellites, the West, led by the US, had to now do battle with religion and race-based militant extremism, particularly ‘Islamic fundamentalist violence’ .

Things, of course, came to a head in this regard when the 9/11 calamity centred in New York occurred. The event seemed to be startling proof that the world was indeed faced with a ‘Clash of Civilizations’ that was not easily resolvable. It was a case of ‘Islamic militant fundamentalism’ facing the great bulwark, so to speak, of ‘ Western Civilization’ epitomized by the US and leaving it almost helpless.

However, it was too early to write off the US’ capability to respond, although it did not do so by the best means. Instead, it replied with military interventions, for example, in Iraq and Afghanistan, which moves have only earned for the religious fundamentalists more and more recruits.

Yet, it is too early to speak in terms of a ‘Clash of Civilizations’. Such a phenomenon could be spoken of if only the entirety of the Islamic world took up arms against the West. Clearly, this is not so because the majority of the adherents of Islam are peaceably inclined and want to coexist harmoniously with the rest of the world.

However, it is not too late for the US to stop religious fundamentalism in its tracks. It, for instance, could implement concrete measures to end the blood-letting in the Middle East. Of the first importance is to end the suffering of the Palestinians by keeping a tight leash on the Israeli Right and by making good its boast of rebuilding the Gaza swiftly.

Besides, the US needs to make it a priority aim to foster democratic development worldwide in collaboration with the rest of the West. Military expenditure and the arms race should be considered of secondary importance and the process of distributing development assistance in the South brought to the forefront of its global development agenda, if there is one.

If the fire-breathing religious demagogue’s influence is to be blunted worldwide, then, it is development, understood to mean equitable growth, that needs to be fostered and consolidated by the democratic world. In other words, the priority ought to be the empowerment of individuals and communities. Nothing short of the latter measures would help in ushering a more peaceful world.

Features

The perennial challenge of peace-keeping and reconciliation

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/25

Sahan Weerasooriya

Christmas

Peace on Earth to all people of good-will is the perennial and the pristine song of Joy and hope aired in every nook and corner during every Christmas season commemorating the Birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. In his own day, Jesus of Nazareth was himself a wonderful instrument of peace and reconciliation in his own homeland of Palestine. He was open to all classes of people, whatever their ethnicity, race, language or social class with preference particularly to the sectors of the poor among these social strata. He would freely crisscross the various regions of Palestine which at that time was tri-partite: Galilee in the north with its fishing villages, lakes graced with wonderful beaches and imposing ranges of hills and valleys; Samaria in the middle and Judea in the deep south which located the religious centers of Judaism with its magnificent temple and also housed the State buildings of the Roman prefectures.

Liberation from Oppression

Entire Palestine was colonized with Caesar sitting in Rome his capital and having his legates governing the local provinces. People too were living in the expectation of a Messiah who would fight the colonial power and thus bring liberation to their oppressed motherland. There was a strongly prevalent messianic current of hope circulating and the longing for the day and the appearance of the Messiah, the liberator. Though inundated by Roman paganism and constantly under the threat of foreign invasion, the people kept to their traditional religious beliefs with their festivals, pilgrimages, rituals and rites and laws.

Unfortunately, there was a historic breach with the breakaway of the Samaritans from the Jews, both claiming to be authentic descendants of their earliest patriarchs. They had different holy centers of worship. Jews considered the Samaritans a hybrid race enabled by the inter-marriages encouraged by the invading Assyrian foreigners (721 BC) with the local population that were not deported by the invaders. It was a historic schism that had very sad socio-cultural, religious and political repercussions. As time went by, this enmity had created many tensions and had percolated into many other serious issues that caused estrangement within the country. The story of the Good Samaritan who came to the rescue of the Jew fallen among the robbers along the road to Jericho and the sole leper who returned to thank Jesus following his healing and who happened to be a Samaritan are gospel incidents that strived to heal this division and bring reconciliation among the two dissenting groups. Creating confusion among the general public was also the fact of the misunderstanding of the mission of the Messiah wholly thought of as a purely political liberation which was only a partial truth.

The homeland of Jesus was desperately in need of a profound spiritual and religious revolution. There had to be a more humane understanding of the Law of Moses, the great code of the national ethic and putting relationships in their correct perspective despite the fact that the land was surrounded on all sides with kingdoms and ruling monarchs who were pagan and the worship of idols was rampant. People treasured their religious and cultural traditions and were in great fear of them being lost when invading foreigners threatened their sovereignty and even territorial integrity. Their very land was sacred for it was the land of their God and therefore defended against any foreign pagan aggression. In fact, there had been often and on many insurrectionist movements rebelling against the Roman colonial rule that were summarily crushed.

Religion at the service of Freedom & Liberation

Jesus Christ saw the need of introducing a new spirituality based on a new ethic to restore the religious sensibilities of Israel. From the mountain he taught the classical sermon on the Beatitudes which declared the poor as blessed and those who suffered persecution for the sake of justice and righteousness as blessed too. It would be the meek who will inherit the earth and those who are merciful would be the true children of God. Pharisaical spirit of religion that is subservient to the letter of the Law that kills and false religiosity limited purely to rites and rituals were to be empty of meaning. Love of God to be total had to be matched with the love for the neighbor. Even enemies were to be loved without conditions. Self-righteousness had no place in the spirituality he propounded. People have to be fed both with spiritual food of truth as well as material nourishment to feed their hunger as he multiplied fish and loaves in the Galilean mountains to cater to the thousands who had flocked to hear him and sought blessings of healing and solace. Many were stunned wondering how the son of a carpenter could have such wisdom and powers even over demons who rattled at his presence. Simple jealousy, unfounded fear and a great amount of misunderstanding and suspicion finally caved in from his enemies, the religious authorities of Jerusalem and the Roman governor that led to that shamefully blatant and unjust condemnation ever recorded in legal history: the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

In some ways the celebration of Christmas, which is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ is being caricatured with commercialism and mere external fanfare with décor and illuminations. The deeper truth is that we are celebrating a spiritual event that was decisive in history: God entering the world in the real physical and bodily appearance of a human being. He made humanity make its peace with God and brought enlightenment about the mystery of life and death declaring the importance of love and respect of others in neighborly love and forgiveness. Like an industrious fisherman he cast his net into the deep and distant waters for an abundance of harvest that would bring civilization itself a mighty haul of blessings. Christianity is very much alive in its two millennia history cutting across cultures and civilizations witnessing to the belief in God and the dignity of man who has an eternal destiny. This religion is pro-life in all dimensions: safety of the unborn, the sacredness and inviolability of every life, the sanctity of marriage, life-beyond death, no violence of any kind, no wars, no nuclear weapons, no arms race or unwarranted ethnic or racial superiority, no danger to sovereignty of nations and their territorial integrity and safe haven for refugees and migrants of every hue.

It is in some of these very difficult issues that peace-keeping and work of reconciliation are becoming global priorities. Science and technology alone are no saviors of humanity embattled as it is in problems that appear to be very dramatic and far extensive. In no way should human beings become victims of their own creations however impressive they may be. Humanity must be the center of our global concerns and innovations with everything serving it towards a better quality of life. A Human being must never be instrumentalized in dehumanizing experiments. On the contrary, he must be served in all things so that his unique place in creation may not be displaced and continue to be the final point of reference in all world’s undertakings and ventures. To this must all regional and international bodies commit themselves in earnest. Christianity considers Jesus Christ the Lord to be the goal of human history, the focal point of the longings of history and of civilization, the center of the human race, the joy of every heart and the answer to all its yearnings as the great Vatican II Council document put it (Gaudium et Spes 45) while the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts (Gaud. et Spes 1).

Christianity & Secularity

It is this spirit of Jesus Christ that impels Christianity to be closely involved in the world society’s journey which registers the triumphs and failures of history. Wherever it has gone, it has opened hospitals for healing the sick, schools for education and other charitable institutions thus playing the role of the Good Samaritan in keeping the fires of charity and compassion alive in a society always prone to various kinds of natural disasters and human conflicts that bring misery and suffering. Christianity favors an economic system that is neither radically socialist nor downright capitalistic and holds primacy of labor over capital, thus taking a clear anti-Marxist stand in this ever important socio-political issue. The dignity and working conditions of the worker with the issue of a living wage, pension benefits, sharing of profits, private enterprise are considered important human issues to be dealt with within the parameters of social justice and labour rights. Democratic principles are preeminently Christian in outlook empowering people to make the needed political options in constructing a system of governance and rule that benefits the common and the greater good. Christianity wishes its voice to be heard in international fora and in contexts in which important decisions affecting people globally are made.

If the spirit of Christmas is to endure beyond its usual annual celebration, the challenges of the Christmas event must be faced and due response to its newer questions met with courage and hope. In the concrete, they are the peace among nations, inter-religious harmony, war against terror and fundamentalisms, economies without disparities and respect for human rights as well as basic freedoms. These are all elements for reconciliation and building-blocks for peace-keeping. Military superiority and economic imperialism are the most satanic forms of modern paganism that plague our world creating so much suspicion, instability and tensions. More spirit of listening, dialogue and understanding are in demand for a stable world and a new form of warm humanism. In emulation of Jesus Christ the eminent peace-maker and reconciler, it behoves that all those who claim to be peace-makers and agents of reconciliation pursue the same mission. Thus, the spirit of Christmas is preserved ever alive.

by Rev. Fr. Leopold Ratnasekera OMI
Ph.D., Th.D.

Features

So this is Christmas …

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/25

Sahan Weerasooriya

The world over, Christmas is being celebrated today. However, in our part of the world, Christmas, and the lead up to the New Year, will be observed on a sombre note.

With this in mind, I wish my readers a Blessed Christmas and let’s hope 2026 will be a good one … without any fear.

Several known personalities also send their greetings and best wishes to The Island readers:

* Noshin De Silva (Actress):

Happy Holidays to everyone across our beautiful island! As we move toward the end of the year, my heart goes out to all communities affected by the recent floods and severe weather. In these challenging weeks, we have also witnessed the true spirit of Sri Lanka through the humility, compassion, and unity of people coming together to support one another. May this season bring comfort to those rebuilding, gratitude to those giving, and hope to us all. Wishing everyone Peace, Healing, Great Health, and a very Happy New Year!

* Melloney Dassanayaka (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024):

As we celebrate the blessings of Christmas and step with hope into a brand-new year, I am reminded of the strength, resilience, and spirit that define us as Sri Lankans. This festive season invites us to reflect, to appreciate what we have, and to look ahead with courage.

Be positive and embrace every opportunity that comes your way. Be smart, be brave, and work hard for yourself, because your future is shaped by the determination you carry within.

May this Christmas fill your hearts with peace and joy, and may the New Year bring you endless possibilities, renewed strength, and the confidence to pursue every dream.

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas and a Bright, Prosperous New Year!

With love and warm wishes.

* Raffealla Fernando (Photographer/Designer):

Wishing you a beautiful, light-filled Christmas and a New Year overflowing with inspiration.

As a photographer and designer, I’m constantly searching for the moments, colours, and stories. that make life extraordinary and this season always reminds me how much beauty there is in the simple things: warm laughter, shared memories, and the quiet magic of togetherness.

Thank you for being part of my creative journey this year.

May your holidays be filled with genuine joy, and may 2026 bring you new adventures, brighter light, and endless reasons to smile.

This season, I’m also wishing for something close to my heart: for Sri Lanka to rise up bigger, better, and stronger. Nothing more to ask for than peace in these turbulent hearts, peace of mind for every soul, and the strength to rebuild our country in the coming year.

Merry Christmas, and a Vibrant, Inspiring New Year.

* Andrea Marr (Singer – Australia):

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Joyful New Year. May the message of Christmas remain in your hearts and give you peace.

* AROH (Music group):

We thank you for sharing your year with us, for every lyric sung, every rhythm embraced, and every stage shared. Your incredible support fuels our passion and continues to inspire the music we create.

Although the past few weeks have seen heaps of problems cropping up, may your Christmas be filled with Joy, Peace, and the beautiful harmony of family and friends.

Also, may the New Year bring you prosperity, health, and a score of exciting new possibilities.

We look forward to connecting with you through music in the coming year, as well.

* Melantha Perera (Singer):

Music heals the soul, and sharing its gift this season fills our hearts with joy.

May our melodies spread love to every soul, making our Creator smile as we celebrate His birth.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a New Year in perfect harmony!

* Natasha Rathnayake (Singer):

As we close another year and step into a new one, may this season remind us of what truly matters — kindness, connection, and love for all living beings.

Let’s carry forward the lessons, the healing, and the gratitude we’ve gathered, and step into 2026 with open hearts, courage, and compassion.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Christmas filled with blessings and joy, and a New Year that inspires clarity, creativity, and love in all that you do.

With love, and abundance of blessings!

God bless.

AROH

* Sohan Weerasinghe (Singer):

Yes, Christmas is back and 2026 is around the corner. It’s time once again to convey my good wishes and also to remind myself to be careful of my waistline as I have a weakness for goodies, especially Christmas cake!

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year and you also must do your utmost to help the needy people around you, especially those affected by the disaster that took us all by surprise; give till it hurts!

* JJ Twins (Duo):

As the magic of Christmas fills the air and a brand-new year approaches, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our wonderful community for your continued support. May this festive season bring you joy, peace, and time spent with those you cherish.

We also take this moment to warmly wish Ivan Alvis a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year filled with success and happiness.

Jesus bless you all, and may you have a Christ-filled Christmas and New Year!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Bright, Successful New Year!

* SEVEN NOTES (Music group – Dubai):

SEVEN NOTES

As we celebrate the joy of Christmas and welcome the dawn of a brand-new year, we extend our heartfelt wishes to the readers and the dedicated team of The Island newspaper.

May this festive season bring peace, love, and harmony into your homes, and may the New Year 2026 be filled with success, good health, and new opportunities.

Thank you for inspiring communities across the globe with trusted journalism and unwavering service.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2026.