Jagath Sumathipala:

President ACBC for third term

Jagath Sumathipala has been elected for the third term as President of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress at the 85th Annual General Meeting held at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress.

Sumathipala had been serving the Executive Committee of All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) since 2002, and was first elected as President of All Ceylon Buddhist Congress in 2006.

Under his able guidance, ACBC hosted the 25th General Conference and 60th Anniversary of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB), the 16th General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (WFBY) and eighth meeting of the World Buddhist University (WBU) was held at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 13th to 17th November B.E. 2554 (2010). These events were highly acclaimed as a tremendous success.

The first "World Buddhist Business Forum" which was his brainchild was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka during the 25th WFB General Conference B.E. 2554 (2010). The positive response and highly productive results achieved at the Forum highlighted the need to provide a platform for the Buddhist business community to come together to share and exchange views, make new business connections and establish a network that will benefit business interests and the community at large. To these ends, the WFB intends to make the World Buddhist Business Forum an annual event.

He has also been elected to the Executive Committee of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) which comprises 41 countries.

Sumathipala is Treasurer and Managing Director of Sri Lanka Dharma Chakkra Child Foundation, a social service organisation serving destitute children since its inception in 1998.

Thousand houses were constructed for families affected by the devastating tsunami in 2004. Tripitakas have been printed and distributed to well over 1,000 temples in the island and Piruwana Poth Wahansays were donated to over two hundred thousand devotees.

Sumathipala is presently actively involved in the following honorary roles:*Member of the Presidential Steering Committee of 2600 Buddha Enlightenment Celebration Committee of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, appointed by His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka.

*Member of the Buddhist Advisory Council of the Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka

* Member of the Advisory Committee of the Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.

Sumathipala was President of the Billiards and Snooker Association of Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1990. During his stewardship, he was responsible for organising and hosting the World Snooker Championship in 1990 and the Asian Snooker Championship in 1998, in Sri Lanka.

He was President of Old Anandians Buddhist Association from 1989 to 1991, and its current Patron. He was also instrumental in appointing a commission to investigate the conversion of Buddhists into other religions by unethical means and ruses.

The Commission report on unethical conversions of Buddhists was launched at Kularatne Hall, Ananda College, Colombo 10 in 2009.

Sumathipala was also directly involved in organising the Baudhaloka Pranama Ulela, Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Bauddhaloka Vesak Religious Festival, Buddhist Literature Festival, Orphan Children Sports Festival and Esala Pa Gamana.