Independence Square to get facelift

The Independence Square and the Independence Hall may not be unfamiliar sites to any of you. They are landmarks in Sri Lanka's architectural field and symbols of national pride for all Sri Lankans.

These sites gain increased prominence on Independence Day as the stage for the main celebrations.

A project has been launched by the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry to renovate and improve these two places.

Using the ground floor of the Independence Hall, which has not been utilised, as an independence museum is one of the proposed plans. A cubicle within this museum is expected to contain a golden book which would include the names of war heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.

Another earmarked project is the construction of a non-extinguishing lamp within the Independence Square. This is expected to be lit for the first time on February 4, 2008, when Sri Lanka celebrates its 60th independence anniversary.

After completion, the sites are expected to be elevated to the levels of the independence symbols of India, China and Germany.

Code for special schools to be revised

You may know that there are special schools in the country for children with special needs. These schools may

 be for the visually or hearing impaired or children with other learning difficulties.

Twenty five such Assisted Special Schools are functioning in Sri Lanka, providing educational facilities for students with special needs.

These Assisted Special Schools are governed by a Code of Regulations. Cabinet approval was recently granted to a memorandum submitted by Education Minister Susil Premajayantha for the revision of this code.

The revisions were deemed necessary as the code that is currently implemented has been prepared in 1948 with only a few revisions having been effected since then. It has been pointed out by professionals in the field that revisions are needed in keeping with the present requirements.

Meanwhile, another memorandum submitted by Minister Premajayantha on the revision of a Draft Bill for the incorporation of Bibliomania Educational Books for the National Foundation was also approved by the Cabinet.

Honouring the co-operative movement

Those of you living in rural areas will be more familiar with the co-operative system. Although it may not be special for those living in towns and suburbs with many supermarkets and large shops catering to their every need, in some rural villages, the co-op shop is the only alternative.

The importance of these co-operative societies will be remembered this July 7, on the UN International Day of Co-operatives. This year's event, being held for the 13th time, is under the theme 'Co-operative Values and Principles for Corporate Social Responsibility'.

This theme highlights the fact that co-operatives are, by nature, enterprises that balance or combine economic, environmental and social needs, while addressing their members and those members' expectations at the same time, thus promoting corporate social responsibility (CRS).

Although CSR doesn't have an exact definition, it's generally agreed that it aligns business operations with social values. It focuses on the social, environmental and financial success of an enterprise with the goal being to positively impact society while achieving business success.

The International Co-operative Day of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) or International Day of Co-operatives is celebrated on the first Saturday of July. Its aim is to increase awareness on co-operatives and promote the movement's successes and ideals of international solidarity (unity), economic efficiency, equality and world peace. The day also aims to strengthen and extend partnerships between the international co-operative movement and other parties.

The day was celebrated for the first time by the ICA in 1923. It was recognised by the United Nations in 1994, thanks to lobbying carried out by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Co-operatives (COPAC) of which the ICA is a member.

Thus boosted, the day was celebrated for the first time in 1995, on the 100th year of the establishment of the ICA.

No milk please!

Milk wasn't on the Stone Age menu, says a new study which suggests the vast majority of adult Europeans were lactose intolerant as recently as 7,000 years ago.

While cow's milk is a mainstay in the diet of modern-day Europeans, their ancestors were't able to digest the nutritious dairy product after childhood, according to DNA analysis of human skeletons from the Neolithic period. The study was led by Joachim Burger of the Institute of Archaeology at Mainz University in Germany.

The findings support the idea that milk drinkers became widespread in Europe only after dairy farming had become established there - not the other way around. Most mammals lose their ability to digest milk after being weaned, but some humans can continue to benefit from the calcium-rich, high-energy liquid.

This is because they carry a mutation that lets them continue producing lactose, the gut enzyme needed to break down the milk sugar lactose, in adulthood.

Courtesy: The Hindu

CSDP programme in Thailand

The Children Skills Development Programme (CSDP) organised a special cultural event at the Benjamaborphit

 school in Bangkok, Thailand recently. Ashanthi Thathsarani and Dishara Nethmini Shanthadeva of Sri Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya, Matale; Nivarthana Priyanjini of Kalutara Balika National School; Nayumi Oshini Liyanage of Royal English School, Matale; and Anju Sri Kalpana Perera of Wadduwa Central College took part in the event.

CSDP has been responsible for the participation of over 300 local children in many international competitions, festivals and concerts over the past 11 years.