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“Write Back!” – An online workshop for young writers by Gratiaen Trust
The Gratiaen Trust, in association with the John Keells Foundation, commemorates World Children’s Day with “Write Back!” – a workshop curated for young writers. The Trust invites young writers of 14 – 17 years of age to participate in this two-day, online workshop on the nuances of writing short stories in English, which will be held on 19 -20th October. Three Gratiaen Prize winning authors – Lal Medawattegedara, Prashani Rambukwella and Delon Weerasinghe – will be the mentors.
“Write Back!” is the Trust’s second initiative targeting children and young writers. In October 2020, the Trust organized “Story Time” at the Sarasavi Bookshop for younger children.
The Gratiaen Trust is grateful to the John Keells Foundation, the CSR entity of the John Keells Group, for its support in making this workshop a reality as part of its primary sponsorship of the Gratiaen Trust since 01st October 2019. Established in 1992, the Gratiaen Trust has worked closely with authors, academics, readers, publishers and other professionals in Sri Lanka’s literary world to promote better works of creative writing in English and translations from Sinhala and Tamil literature into English. “Write Back!” is one of a series of workshops it has organized towards these objectives.
Applications to participate in “Write Back!” should be emailed to gratiaenworkshops@gmail.com by 4th October 2021. Participants should have a good command of English, digital literacy and have access to uninterrupted internet connectivity. All applicants must be Sri Lankan citizens resident in Sri Lanka. For more details on how to apply visit www.gratiaen.com. Places at the workshop are limited and participants will be selected by the Trust based on a writing sample.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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