Calling for stricter protection to Save Leopards

Sri Lanka recently made it to CNN’s 20 Best Destinations to visit in 2020. This wouldn’t have been possible if it was a bare island with no heritage and no wildlife. But the fact that we are blessed with a rich biodiversity needs to be taken on a more serious note. Yet, the aggravating Human-Elephant conflict and the recently reported leopard deaths near Udawalawa National

The good, the bad & the ugly of vertical living

We believe that climate change is one of the greatest threats that we, as Sri Lankans, will face in the future. Therefore, we intend to provide our readers with local and international content with the objective to educate and inspire. We would also like to learn from our valued readers about any ongoing initiatives in making Sri Lanka a more sustainable nation. We aim to

Pollution, is there no solution?

If you had passed by Marine Drive last week, it would have been extremely hard to have missed the Christmas Tree erected right next to the Wellawatte Station. Seeing Christmas trees all around is th

Singing National Anthem in Sinhala only Tug of war continues over ‘Matha’ and ‘Thaaye’

Singing ‘Sri Lanka Matha’ while standing to attention has always given Sri Lankans that sense of pride. Having graced many occasions since the islanders gained Independence in 1948, the song too has a history to itself.

Bhagavad Gita for the uninitiated

Among the Hindu scriptures perhaps the Bhagavad Gita is the best known to the outside world.

How I ‘shot’ the King of Sweden

It was those days when there were no Media Secretaries, Ministry photographers nor anyone connected with the Departments or otherwise to work with VVIP’s on their travels.

St. Benedict’s College OBU: The legacy continues

At service for 115 years in existence towards the college, the Old Boys Union of St. Benedict’s College started another distinct journey with the newly elected council members in June 2019 on a great vision led by General Secretary Priyal Perera....

Why is T. B. Jayah a National Hero

On the occasion of his 130th Birth Anniversary, it is appropriate to make mention of the signal contribution made by Dr T. B. Jayah to the independence struggle of Ceylon.

Sanjeewa Abeygunawardena Beacon of light and gentleman of integrity

Death is certain in this short span of life. We come into this world with nothing and depart the same, but the imprints we leave behind will be cemented among those whom we meet in life. Our lifelong friend and colleague Sanjeewa Abeygunawardena passed away six days prior to Christmas on December 19 last year. His funeral in accordance with his last wish was held within 24 hours of his passing.

Whatever happened to the radical Buddhists?

In the Lanka Guardian of March 15, 1979, Regi Siriwardena posed a question which I feel is pertinent for what it says and does not say about the issue it revolves around: “Where are the radical Buddhists?”

WHEN CONSERVATISM GETS IN THE WAY OF SEX EDUCATION Comprehensive Sexuality Education in SL

The attraction towards the opposite sex is one of many behavioural changes experienced during puberty. But a lack of education on the various hormonal changes that happen during adolescence could put any teenager in a dilemma.

Most Ven. Kurunegoda Piyatissa Maha Nayaka Thera: A Trip Down Memory Lane

The chief incumbent of the New York Buddhist Vihara, Rajakeeya Pandit Dr. Kurunegoda Piyatissa Maha Thera, passed away on October 11, 2019, after serving people around the world for more than 78 years of his 91-year life.

‘SAMATA SARANA’ – HELPING ALL: A shelter for poor, needy; young and old

Have you heard of ‘Samata Sarana’? Well it is amazing, although this organisation has been in existence for over three decades, I came to know about this only last month. November being dedicated to the dearly departed....

100 years on The legacy of Uruwala Tea Factory continues

D.A. Wanigasekara Ralahamy, the pioneer of Uruwala Tea Factory, was born in 1862. His parents were Don Abraham Mohotti Wanigasekara Appuhamy and Samaratunga Arachchige Dona Kristina Abeysekara who lived in the village of Akuressa.

Dr. T.B. Jayah A National hero and a stalwart of the Muslim community

Yesterday marked the 130th commemoration of late Dr. T. B. Jayah whose renowned name has found an honoured place in the annals of this country. He was an educationist, a politician, statesman, diplomat and a national hero who did so much for the Muslim community and to our country as well.

When life offers prisoners a second chance

A programme launched by the Department of Prisons is working to rehabilitate prisoners by teaching them farming skills to enable them earn a living once they are out of prison. When life offers a second chance, it’s important to be equipped with the right skills to make the best of the opportunity. Programmes such as these are therefore an integral part of the overall rehabilitation framework to prevent re-offending.

Thirst for Life

Amarasena lives with his wife Somawathie in Madukandai, an isolated village more than 8km away from the Vavuniya city. Madukandai, located in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka is also part of the Dry Zone.

Mahesh named child genius of Australia

Twelve-Year-old Mahesh Ravee has won the Child Genius Australia held this year by the SBS -Australia’s multicultural and multilingual broadcaster-this year.

Youth bringing change to climate change in SL

For many years, our books taught us about climate change, its causes and effects. However, we just kept learning. We learnt that climate change leads to disastrous results caused due to careless human activities such as environmental pollution and destruction of ecosystems. And yet, we kept destroying. Not many people gave thought about this or felt the need to spread

Hospital Services Council donates medical equipment to National Hospital

The Hospital Services Council (HSC) in Colombo donated a set of medical equipment to the National Hospital Sri Lanka (NHSL), Maligawatte Kidney Hospital and the Eye Hospital, under the patronage of Dr. Kanchanamala Ranasinghe, General Practitioner at the Cannon Hill Doctors and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Griffith University Australia on December 23 at

Tissa Liyanasuriya: Reflections on a career

In the 1960s the Sinhala cinema attempted to develop a distinct national identity. It sought to do this mainly by obliterating the Indian influence. To do that, it was necessary to nurture and mobilise an entirely new generation of actors, writers, directors, and even producers. Looking back today, to me it seems that the experiment, though not totally successful, did succeed in shaping the cinema, particularly due to a shift in artistic taste am

Some facets of military coup attempts across the globe

Writing in www.conversations.com two US scholars, Clayton Beswa and Mathew Frank, reported that there were 463 coup attempts worldwide between 1950 and 2017, of which, 233 were successful. Military coups had also been a hardy annual they say, though for reasons yet unknown, the years 2007 and 2018, were free from military take-overs. According t

A long road for Human Rights

Human Rights in Sri Lanka has been something widely discussed about on various platforms domestically and internationally. In lieu of World Human Rights Day which fell on 10 December, Daily Mirror spoke to Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, LGBTIQ activist Rosanna Flamer Caldera and Human Rights activist Shreen Abdul Saroor.

‘Messenger’ cherishes enlightening Christian minds

‘Messenger’ in its true sense of the word, has been rendering its services to Sri Lankan Catholics by providing news and articles related to the Catholic Church. Its continuous journey since 1869.....

Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Art Exposition 2019: Showcasing South Asia

The inauguration of the five- day contemporary art exhibition which was hosted by Sri Lankan international artist, Chathuranga Biyagama, under the patronage of Bangladesh High Commission was held at Harold Peiris Gallery, Lionel Wendt on December 16.

The price we pay

Current hot topic nationwide is the cost of living and the price of consumer items and services. Cost of living is not a static scenario due to the changes in trade production and the change of social structure on various factors and angles.

Remembering Rev. Fr. Laurie Sullivan on his second death anniversary

Rev. Fr. William Laurie Sullivan, the Blessed Sacrament Missionary from Australia to Sri Lanka, breathed his last peacefully at St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, Fitzroy on December 30 two years ago at a very ripe age of 92.

Reflections on an arrest, a hero and a traitor

In a country dominated by Cartesian thinking, it’s probably not surprising that a man vilified for the better part of a decade as a Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist, traditionalist, warmonger and opportunist should be celebrated as a martyr today. I remember coming across a particularly unsavoury (and no doubt defamatory) article on the man on an anti-Rajapaksa website before he decided to cross over to the side that the website was tacitly supporting

Secrets to lead a happy and joyful life

Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience, but are very different. Joy comes when you make peace with who you are and how you are whereas happiness tends to be externally-triggered and based on other people, things, places, thoughts and events.

Legal challenges faced by the Federal Party in its 70-year history

Speech on the Seventieth Aniversary of the Federal Party on 18 Dec. 2019 at the Young Artistes Forum Jaffna by M.A. Sumanthiran MP, PC, Associate Secretary General, Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi.