‘Ananda Walk 2024’on July 7 for a noble cause

Theme for this year’s walk will be “Educate and Empower to Serve Mother Lanka”  

Ananda College Colombo, one of the premier boys’ schools in Sri Lanka launches educational initiatives to address the ’brain drain’ crisis in Sri Lanka as skilled professionals continue to leave the country amidst economic, political, and social challenges. As one of the steps ‘Ananda Walk 2024’ is organized to educate and empower the citizen to fulfill their duty to the land they were born.   

‘Ananda Walk 2024’ is a fundraising event organized by the Ananda College Old Boys’ Association (ACOBA) and will be paraded on July 7, 2024.   

The theme for this year’s walk will be “Educate and Empower to Serve Mother Lanka”. Old boys, students, teachers, parents and well-wishers are to participate in the walk and it is also expected to attract more than 10,000 participants.   

The funds raised from the event will be used to support educational initiatives, sports development, student welfare and infrastructure development activities at Ananda College, Colombo.

The walk will start from Ananda College at 2.30 pm and will terminate at Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo 7 via Punchi Borella, Borella intersection, Townhall and Alexandra roundabout.   
This will be a memorable event for all participants with many exciting activities lined up.   

The Ananda Walk 2024 will promote unity and social responsibility among its participants and will provide an opportunity for individuals to engage in a healthy activity while contributing to a noble cause.   

Addressing a press conference to announce the ‘Ananda Walk 2024’ at the school premises on Monday, Principal of the Ananda College, Lal Dissanayake requested everyone to take part to make this walk a success.   

 “The shape of any school is created by the students, and when we look at the old Anandians who are conquering not only Sri Lanka but the world, it is clear how Ananda College has fulfilled this responsibility,” he said.   

“Those who are looking at Ananda are not only those who are directly or indirectly related to Ananda, but there are people who are not related to Ananda but who are looking at Ananda seriously. So it is very important to make the ‘Ananda Walk’ successful one,” the Principal said adding that “Ananda’s responsibility is the responsibility of this country.”   

The Executive President of the Ananda College Old Boys’ Association, Professor Athula Kaluarachchi explaining the initiative said, “Like the brain drain, the youth leaving the country has now increased greatly. The intellectuals and youth community of our country have given priority to migration. If this continues, our country will face a huge crisis in a few years. one of us can stop it. Ananda College, Colombo took the lead this time when the responsible authorities are in slumber on this crisis. We are trying to inform the people and policy makers of the country about this through this walk, to create the necessary environment in the country to reduce the brain drain to prevent the youth leaving the country”, Professor Kaluarachchi added.  

At the event, the official T-shirt of ‘Ananda Walk 2024’ was launched and the first t-shirt was handed over to an old Anandian, former national cricket Captain Dinesh Chandimal, while official Wristband ‘Band of Hope’ was presented to another Old Anandian , Defence Secretary retired General Kamal Gunaratne.   

Prestigious Old Anandians, Prof. Deshamanya J.B. Dissanayake, Senior Additional Secretary, Climate Change Secretariat Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Chairman University Grants Commission Senior Prof. Sampath Amaratunga, Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake and many others participated in the event.