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US-based Overseas Sri Lankan Academic and Research Collaboration Network launched
The Inaugural Meeting of the ‘US-Sri Lanka Academic and Research Collaboration Network’(USLARCN) was held virtually on 15 August 2021. The Network was launched by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C with a view to connecting with the academic community within the US, and leveraging their support towards Sri Lanka in academic collaboration, co-mentoring and facilitating access to US learning resources for Sri Lankan university students. This further expands the reach of the Pan US Overseas Sri Lankans (OSL)Network launched by the Embassy on 31 January 2021, with the broader aim of supporting OSL activities and leveraging their support towards Embassy efforts at realizing the interests of Sri Lanka in the US in political advocacy, economic empowerment, socio-cultural engagement, as well as in bringing unity within the SL community and reaching out to ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’.
Following the response received to a notice which was placed on the Embassy website and circulated among the OSL Network nearly two months ago, over 130 OSLs who expressed interest were clustered into 12 groups in the areas of Cultural Studies and Media; Business and Finance; Early Childhood Education; Team Science and Talent Development; Environmental Studies; Nutrition and Food Science; Chemistry, Physics; Engineering;, Computer Science and IT; Medical Sciences;, Social Sciences and Sri Lankan Studies.
Delivering the opening remarks, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Washington D.C. Ravinatha Aryasinha commended the significant achievements of Sri Lankan academics in the US and the pride they bring to Sri Lanka. He emphasised the importance of bringing the US-based Sri Lanka origin academic community together, to both support the education system and students living in Sri Lanka, as well as to ensure that those involved at the academic and policy levels in the US had a more nuanced understanding of Sri Lanka, and of Sri Lankans in the US. Noting that up to the end of the Cold War, institutions such as the East-West Center in Hawaii and a few other US Universities had catered to this need, he said that today such a full understanding was imperative so that we respond not only to ‘events’ in each other’s countries but to the related dynamic ‘processes’ as a whole. Ambassador Aryasinha said that he had, during a visit to Hawaii in May 2021, discussed this aspect with both the East-West Center and Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) so that a better appreciation of the full spectrum of multifaceted relations between Sri Lanka and the US can be better reflected in future collaboration. He hoped that the USLARCN will also take up the challenge to revive this tradition through their individual and collective endeavours.
Delivering the keynote address on the occasion, Emeritus Professor Wimal Dissanayake of the University of Hawaii and Leader of the Cultural Studies and Media Group, commended Ambassador Aryasinha for the new initiative under the Pan OSL Network, and recalled the different phases of US-SL Education Collaboration since the 1950s. He said that in the past there had been a steady stream of students, journalists, academics, policymakers and service personnel, who have attended long term degree programmes as well as seminars, and had benefitted from and contributed to the considerable cross fertilisation of views that took place, significantly around the East-West Center. However, he noted that “what you have today is a pale shadow of what it was 20 or 30 years ago, but still thanks to the efforts of the Ambassador, I think we are trying to revive it”. Noting that at present Sri Lankan scholars in this network are approximately 80% from the Natural Sciences, 15% from the Social Sciences and 5% from the Humanities, Professor Dissanayake recommended three conceptual criteria that could help future efforts; that it be inter-disciplinary in nature, that it focuses on knowledge exchange and knowledge utilization, and functions as a ‘Network’ with a structure but also flexibility.
Students from Karavita Central College, Ratnapura, St. Anthony Girls’ College, Katugasthota and Rajasinghe Central College, Ruwanwella, visited the Presidential Secretariat today (19).
This visit was part of a program jointly organized by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, and the Mass Communication Division of the Parliament. The program offers schoolchildren from across the island the opportunity to visit key government institutions, including the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House, the Colombo Port City, and the Parliament.
During their visit to the Presidential Secretariat, the students were given an informative session about the history of the Parliament.
To commemorate the occasion, the principals and students of the visiting schools presented commemorative gifts to Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, the Secretary to the President. In return, Dr. Kumanayake presented a valuable tree as a souvenir to be planted in each of the schools.
Later, Dr. Kumanayake engaged in a friendly conversation with the students, creating a memorable interaction.
Senior Advocate J.M. Wijebandara, the Director General Legal of the Presidential Secretariat, was also present at the event.
[PMD]
Newly appointed Deputy Ministers of the National People’s Power (NPP) government were sworn in today (21) before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.
The new Deputy Ministers are as follows:
- Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando : Deputy Minister of Economic Development
- Mr. Namal Karunarathne : Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock
- Mr. Wasantha Piyathissa : Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment
- Mr. Nalin Hewage : Deputy Minister of Vocational Education
- Mr. R.M. Jayawardena : Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security
- Mr. Gamagedara Dissanayake : Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
- Mr. T.B. Sarath : Deputy Minister of Housing
- Mr. Rathna Gamage : Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources
- Mr. Mahinda Jayasinghe : Deputy Minister of Labour
- Mr. Aruna Jayasekara : Deputy Minister of Defence
- Mr. Arun Kemachandra : Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment
- Mr. Anton Jayakody : Deputy Minister of Environment
- Mr. Mohommed Muneer : Deputy Minister of National Integrity
- Eng. Eranga Weerarathne : Deputy Minister of Digital Economy
- Mr. Eranga Gunasekara :Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs
- Mr. Chathuranga Abeysinghe : Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development
- Eng. Janith Ruwan Kodithuwakku : Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation
- Dr. Namal Sudarshana : Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs
- Mr. Ruwan Senarath : Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Governance
- Dr. Prasanna Kumara Gunasena : Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways
- Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni : Deputy Minister of Health and Media
- Mr. Upali Samarasinghe : Deputy Minister of Co-operative Development
- Mr. Ruwan Chaminda Ranasinghe : Deputy Minister of Tourism
- Mr. Sugath Thilakarathne : Deputy Minister of Sports
- Mr. Sundaralingam Pradeep : Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
- Attorney Sunil Watagala : Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs
- Dr. Madhura Senevirathne : Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education
- Dr. Harshana Sooriyapperuma : Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning
- Dr. Susil Ranasinghe : Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation
Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the event.
Gampaha District Member of Parliament Hemali Weerasekara was unanimously elected as the Deputy Chairperson of Committees. Her nomination was proposed by Minister Sunil Handunnetti, and was seconded by Member of Parliament Samanmalee Gunasinghe.
The new Deputy Chairperson of Committees is a former member of the Mahara Pradeshiya Sabha and a professional laboratory technician. She completed her education at Yasodara Vidyalaya, Colombo and Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo. She has been an active member of the NPP’s district and women’s executive committees.
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