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| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Sri Lankan cares, really by Mahes Perera A ray of hope
The song initially composed two years ago by drummer/musician Chris Dhason included Sinhala and Tamil lyrics sung by Sunil Perera and S. Sarangan, became the corporate anthem of SriLankan Airlines. Last Wednesday (March 9) the single We are SriLankan was launched as a DVD and an audio CD at a special ceremony at Galle Face Hotel, graced by President's Counsel K. Balapatabendi, Chairman SriLankan Airlines and Chandana de Silva, Head of Corporate Communications, SriLankan Airlines. The proceeds from the sale of this meaningful DVD and CD will go towards a new re-building project undertaken by SriLankan Airlines in their Sri Lankan Cares Programme. This is to remodel Islamabad Maha Vidyalaya in Kalmunai which was severely affected by the tsunami. The CD will be available at all SriLankan Airlines offices, as well as in all music stores and leading supermarkets islandwide. SriLankan Airlines has also opened up another source of funding through their airline's website www.srilankan.aero, giving anyone the opportunity to donate to a worthy cause.In his address on behalf of the musicians who participated in the recording of the song and filming of the DVD, Chris Dhason thanked all the musicians who readily came forward to make it the successful tri-lingual reality it has turned out to be.
They included Sunil Perera, S. Sarangan, Sohan Weerasinghe, Damian Wickramatillake, Derek Wickramanayake, Shobi Perera, Kevin Almeida, Ashanthi de Alwis, Nilukshi Jayaweerasingham, Shane Berenger, Umara Sinhawansa, Natasha Ratnayake, K. Mahindakumar, Geoffrey Fernando, Nirosha Virajini, Nevanthi Pieris, Melanie Bibile and Erosha Aluthge. Music can touch the lives of people and even though the tsunami affected musicians badly, Chris was proud of the way they came forward to help in the cause of a better tomorrow for our children. We are Sri Lankan is a cause dear to the heart of SriLankan Airlines' employees and SriLankan Cares has pledged itself to make the life of our children worthy of our society and of our nation. The Airline is the only airline that has undertaken many projects in various parts of this country to give a better tomorrow to a nation recovering especially from the devastating loss of last December. Get yourself a copy and let the song be your anthem too. My Wedding 2005 My Wedding 2005, the second annual 'bridal extravaganza will be held from March 18 to 20, 2005 at the BMICH (New Wing) showcasing the entirety of one's wedding needs at one location. My Wedding 2005 has a holistic approach to its theme with every detail carefully looked into and presented in a very professional manner. According to Ceylinco Exhibition and Convention (CEC) General Manager, Mohan Pathirana organisers of the event, the extravaganza brings all industry-related players, and premium product and service providers over a hundred diverse stalls under one roof at the BMICH, ranging from bridal dressers, jewellers, photographers, salons, beauty therapists, cake decorators, caterers, designers, beauty salon products, health products, cosmetics, printers and hotels. An added attraction at "My Wedding 2005" will be the daily sun-down fashion shows presented by Poorni Rambadagalle with Sri Lanka's top male and female models bringing to the catwalk the creations of Colombo's top designers. Children's plays at Lumbini theatre Somalatha Subasinghe's two successful musicals Punchi Apata Den Therei (We Know It Now) and Toppi Velenda (The Hat Seller) will once again be staged this week to raise funds to finance charity work done by the Mystical Rose Montessori and Activity School. The plays will go on the boards on Saturday, March 19 at the Lumbini Theatre at 3.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.
Lanka Children's and Youth Theatre Organisation (Play House - Kotte), the leading children's play producers in Sri Lanka who have always endeavoured to provide quality and meaningful entertainment to young audiences will be responsible for staging these two musicals, containing songs and dances based on Sri Lankan folk culture, acrobatics and humour. The aim of Subasinghe and her Play House group is to inculcate in children a strong sense of pride in our traditional art forms and culture. The stories carry the universal themes of humaneness, love, caring for people and nature and most important the message to encourage children to resolve problems through peaceful means. The high standards set and maintained in Play House Kotte productions have opened avenues for this professional theatre group to perform and participate in many International Children's and Youth Theatre Festivals in India, Bangladesh, Austria, France and Korea. End of a chapter In a matter of five minutes and to the strains of classical music an ancient chapter in the history of the then Lanka Oberoi was closed on March 3. The three awe-inspiring, magnificent batik pennants in the Atrium foyer were brought down to make way for Colombo Plaza's renovation and expansion - work. It was an emotional moment for those who were staff when the pennants were first hung in the Atrium. An integral part of the hotel's decor for nearly three decades, the pennants enthraled guests and visitors alike with their sheer size and colour motifs. Designed by Anil Gamini Jayasuriya and hand-painted by Ena de Silva Fabrics Ltd. in 1979 the famous mother and son combination were commissioned by the Oberoi management to create this 'unusual order', of the three pennants the largest of which was 60 feet by 15 feet. Reminisces Ena, "it took quite a while to finish, given the intricate details of the design that had to be drawn and hand painted, but the end result was worth it." According to her the largest banner featured the Berunda Pakshiya the double-headed eagle which was historically the emblem of the kingdom of the Thun Korales in the days of yore. The second banner (50 feet by 15 feet) depicted the signs of the zodiac in traditional Sinhala style and the third banner (40 feet by 15 feet) was based on the Ira Handa Maha Kodiya - the flag of the ancient kingdom of the Hathara Korale whose official emblem were the sun and the moon. The pennants significantly have stood the test of time, despite the many changes that have taken place around in the hotel over the last 30 years. Arrangements are being made to relocate the batik pennants to one of the John Keells Groups properties or to preserve them in a museum. (MP) French film festival starts on Wednesday The twentieth of March being a significant day for the French speaking countries in Europe Bonjour Cinema, a film festival has been organised by the Consulate of Belgium, the High Commission of Canada, the Embassies of France, Romania and Switzerland. This joint event will be held from March 16 to 20, at the Elphinstone Theatre in collaboration with the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. A total of ten films will be screened and there will be two shows each day.
The Embassy of France will be presenting four films while the other four French speaking countries are contributing one each. The two Sri Lankan films that have been selected for screening are Dr. Lester James Peries' Wekanda Walauva and Asoka Handagama's Tani Tatuwen Piyabanna. Bonjour Cinema opens on Wednesday, March 16 at 4 p.m. with the screening of the French Embassy's film Un air de famille/Family Resemblances which won five Cesar Awards with a story line of a family who maintain a semblance of being a typically close-knit family, but one evening the unity is blown to pieces. The second film at 7.00 p.m. on that day is the Romanian film Ciuleandra set in the year 1925 and focusses on the son of a Minister of Justice who strangles his wife in an irrational fit of jealousy. The other films that will be screened during the week are: Thursday, March 17 at 3.00 p.m. - the French Embassy's Les destinies sentimentales/Sentimental Destinies. At 7.00 p.m. the Sri Lankan Tani Tatuwen Piyabanna/Flying with one wing. Friday, March 18 at 4.00 p.m. - the Sri Lankan film Wekanda Walauwa/The Mansion by the Lake. At 7.00 p.m. the Canadian La moitie gauche du frigo/The Left Side of the Fridge. Saturday, March 19 at 4.00 p.m. - the French Embassy's L'Homme du Train/Man on the Train. At 7.00 p.m. the Swiss Embassy's Au sud des nuages/In the South of the Clouds. Sunday, March 20 at 3 p.m. - Belgium's Le Fils/The Son. At 7.00 p.m. the French Embassy's Les Diaboliques/The Friends. The collaborative festival by the French speaking countries has been organised according to the French Cultural Counsellor Yves Alain Corporeau with the intention of offering the Sri Lankan public a collection of films that represent the richness and diversity of their respective cinema industries. Entrance is free. (MP) Singing to a different tune The Rotary Club of Mt Lavinia, has organised a singing competition of a different sort. Choirs from different schools will participate at a competition organised by the Rotary Club.
This is the second year in succession that the Club has organised this event. This year all proceeds will be in aid of the 'Rotary School Awakening Program'. The Rotary Club of Mt. Lavinia which is sixty one years in existence, has been involved in many such projects. Gihan Dalpethado, President of the Club, has been actively involved in the project and has the able support of his wife, Thiranee and members of the Club. He said, that twenty five schools have been identified to receive assistance from the Club. These schools have either been partially or fully destroyed by the tsunami, he said. Participants have been told that the proceeds will be in aid of children like them, who have lost everything and were unable to go to school, and this has really tugged at their heartstrings and they have been marvellous in their participation. Schools from Kandy, Matale and Negombo, in addition to the Colombo schools have participated. All schools were given a choice of two songs selected by the organisers and in addition, they could sing a song of their choice. Winners will receive a Challenge trophy and choristers will be awarded a Certificate of Participation. The finals will be held on March 18 at the BMICH. Tickets are available at Lanka Hands, Colombe 4. |
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