Glittering stars of Sri Lanka

How did you spend the evening of Sunday, July 1? It would have been the last couple of hours of your

 precious weekend holiday, so we hope that you made the most of it.

For us, of course, that evening was entirely worthwhile. How, you may ask. That evening, we were witnesses to many brilliant stars shining in Sri Lanka. You may remember the news item about an event called 'Vasanthayata Muthu Ahurak' which appeared in the Junior Observer on June 24.

July 1 was the big day when all child actors and child celebrities in Sri Lanka performed on one stage for the first time in the history of the island, and were also presented with awards.

The idea for this event had grown in the mind of Poorna Sampath Premakirthi de Alwis and with the support of McAllo Creations and Ceylon Biscuits Limited (Munchee), the dream became a reality. The event saw awards being presented not only to the children, but also to the teachers who had helped these children enter and develop in the field.

Sarala Kariyawasam, Dasun Madushanka Mendis, Nityawani Kandasami, Tharaka Hettiarachchi, Pramudi Karunaratne, Poorna Sampath, Natasha Perera, Thisuri Yuvanika, Harshana Dissanayake and the 'Hapan Padura' performers - Enoka, Kasun, Nalina and Ranmali received awards at the event. Sybil Wettasinghe, Thissa Gunawardene, Renuka Balasuriya, Jackson Anthony, Somaratne Dissanayake, Athula Ransirilal, Nalaka Swarnathilaka, Mahinda Algama and Sumana Jayathilake were the teachers who were awarded.

All the stars performed on stage; some danced while some sang, but they all proved that they are equally talented. They were trained for the event by Chandana Wickramasinghe (dancing) and Athula Adhikari (music). Usha Waruni Mendis, a future child star, sang two songs to prove that her talents were not second to any others'.

All performances were rather captivating and managed to keep the audience enthralled for several hours. As well-known film director Somaratne Dissanayake said, all performances had the traditional Sri Lankan touch. The children received the blessings of the teachers for a bright future.

The efforts of Poorna Sampath to encourage the child stars in the country were also appreciated. We, at the Junior Observer too wish these glittering child stars all the best and hope they would continue to bring us joy in the years to come!

Janani Amarasekara

Awareness programme on Sinharaja conservation

Sri Lanka Telecom in partnership with the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) initiated the 'Preserving Heritage for Tomorrow' programme in recognition of the importance of creating awareness on conservation of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. It included a three-day trip to the forest reserve, scheduled for the third week of each month.

The programme, to be conducted on a regular basis, gives the opportunity of participation to 20 students and five teachers. The participants are selected from across the island by FOGSL, regardless of language, community and stream of education. The FOGSL, an independent group based in the University of Colombo, is led by Prof. Sarath Kotagama, the well-known ornithologist (expert on birds).

Gurukula Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya; Badulla Central College; Sacred Heart Convent, Galle; and Yasodara Devi Balika Vidyalaya and Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya of Gampaha took part in this programme.

Before the programme got under way, the students were provided with caps and leech socks made of cotton, and were advised to wear outfits that were in muted and camouflage shades of colour, to blend in with the enviornment.

Lectures on the history of the forest reserve and the dos and don'ts when visiting the place; nature walks;

 photography sessions; meditation to help the students learn to be one with nature; identifying the sounds of different animals and birds; bird watching; and experiments on the primary forest were some of the activities they took part in.

Each group had to hand over an assignment in the form of a handwritten book at the end. The students were also awarded certificates by the organisers.

Speaking on his experience, a student who took part in the programme said: "This was an amazing experience for us as we were given the opportunity to see the level of biodiversity and endemic species of flora and fauna at Sinharaja.

We also had the chance to meet people who were dedicated to the conservation of nature. That has made an impact on myself, as I too would like to grow up and work in this field."