16 October 2024 12:02 am Views - 46
The Alumni Organization of University of Colombo (AOUC) has plans to conduct its 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the student centre of the University of Colombo on October 26 (Saturday) starting at 8.AM.
On October 26, in addition to annual meeting and get together, prize awardings for the winners of ‘Palasa’ literary competition will take place. The occasion will be graced by distinguished guests including the VC of the Colombo University, Prof. H.D.Karunarathna. All the members with their families will enjoy the event happily.
The present office bearers of the AOUC, including the current president Bernard Kariyawasam under a challenging and difficult environment have displayed that they can overcome any obstacle with the enthusiastic support of members.
The AOUC commenced its journey on April 4, 1992 as a branch collective (collective of post 1960 alumni) of the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo. In 1996 it became a separate independent body which thereafter assumed the name ‘Alumni Organization of University of Colombo’.
Thereafter, the AOUC expanded its activities as well as the membership. Without limiting itself to a nostalgic old friends collective, it played its role as a supportive entity of the administration of the university in its endeavor to achieve accepted noble objectives. The AOUC, while catering to needs of its membership, always strived to support needy students with various means, including creation of scholarship programmes, as well.
AOUC expanded her services from university community to the outside community whenever necessary. School children are also being served by the organization by allowing them to participate at the literary competitions etc.
AOUC is also conscious of the need of uplifting cultural level of the university students and has organised various cultural programmes so that they are able to participate and enjoy the benefits. They are allowed to see the very valuable artistic creations of our own distinguished artist alumni and other artists.
In addition, AOUC has launched unique programmes such as publishing a book of academic and practical value and becoming the presenterof an international award winning film. The author of a book on condominium property, Upali Upawansa , is a member of the organization while the director of the award winning film, Malaka Devapriya, also a member of the organization.
Several times the organization has felicitated distinguished university teachers as well as distinguished alumni of the University of Colombo giving an example to others how to evaluate people. In the coming year, too, this process is going to continue even better way.
As an organization which is always conscious of its duty of providing opportunities for the young generation as well as alumni of the same university, to display their talents at literary field specially and creativeness at aesthetic domain in general.
So, in 2023, the organization categorized three literal genres, namely, poetry writing, short story writing and lyrics writing, opening opportunities to students of all state and private universities to participate. We obtained the services of famous literary critiques and literary creators to evaluate the writings.
With the success and optimism generated by the past year’s event, the organization decided to hold 12 writing competitions expanding the genres and the eligible social base. This time university students who forward creations in Tamil medium, too, are allowed to be presented.