Blossoms of Hope 2015

Ikebana International Sri Lanka Chapter 262 , a member of Ikebana International headquartered in Japan, will be holding its annual exhibition for the 5th consecutive year on October 10 and 11 at the Ramada Colombo, from 10.30 a.m to 7. 00 p.m .T he Chief Guest at the event will be the patron of the Chapter , Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka. Christopher Lim, he advisor to the Sri Lanka Chapter and an internationally known flower arranger from the Sogetsu School of Ikebana will be an exhibitor as well as having a demonstration at 5.00 p.m. on October 10.

Ikebana (meaning living flowers) is an essential part of the Japanese culture and has over 2000 schools teaching this art. It has its origins in the temples of 6th century Japan, when the monks offered flowers arranged in containers to the Buddha.

From being an offering it turned into an art, which found its way into the palaces, amongst the nobility and finally to the people of the country. Ikebana is a disciplined art form, which embraces nature and its bounty......flowers, leaves, both fresh and dry twigs, branches, stems, stones driftwood, and many more according to the individuals choice, combined and balanced to create the final products , which are beautiful arrangements.

Ikebana encourages silence and patience when arranging flowers, which in turn becomes a meditative spiritual exercise bringing about calmness, harmony and inner peace. The arrangements are simplistic, minimalistic, inexpensive and bring elegance and beauty to a home with a few flowers and leaves.

At Blossoms Of Hope the visitors can view a whole new world of flower arranging; all creative works of art by the talented members of the Sri Lanka Chapter. Proceeds from this exhibition will be utilized to purchase much needed drugs for poor children and teenagers suffering from cancer at the Cancer Hospital Maharagama.