Extension of research herbal park

The third herbal park under the Herbal Park Project near Mawathagama, Madawa, Mandalarama Rajamaha Viharaya will be established by the Indigenous Medicine Ministry .

Indigenous Medicine Ministry Secretary Asoka Peiris said it aims to establish about 100 herbal park under this project and about 50 parks will be established during this year. The Government has allocated Rs. 100 million to establish such parks close to temples and in government land. Rs. 2.5 million has been allocated by the Agriculture Ministry for compost fertiliser. These herbal parks would be utilised by the doctors for their research work and schoolchildren for their educational activities. Steps have been taken to grow regional-friendly traditional plants and all other herbal varieties growable in this country. Two herbal parks have already been established at Galagedera and Makumbura under this herbal park project.

A website on books launched

A new website, www.pothmithro.com. designed to create international awareness about books published in Sri Lanka was launched at a ceremony at the National Library Auditorium, Colombo recently. Director, Trico International Institution Jayantha Kannangara will preside. This will be a common website open to all books published by publishing copanies, individuals and authors themselves. It will also provide details about book exhibitions, workshops, literary and manuscript contests, book launching ceremonies, writer organizations and data concerning authors. There will be several other features to provide knowledge and entertainment to subscribers.

Birth and death anniversaries from May 31 - June 6

May 31

*Death of Sir D.B. Jayathilake, National Hero in 1944.

*Death of W.A. Silva, Sinhala novelist in 1957.

June 1

*Birth of Marilyn Monroe, American actress in 1926.

June 2

*Birth of Thomas Hardy, English writer in 1840.

June 3

*Birth of Ediriweera Sarachchandra, famous dramatist in 1914.

June 4

*Death of King

Vimaladharmasuriya II in 1707.

June 6

Birth of Thomas Mann, German-US novelist in 1875.

Special events which took place in history, from May 31 - June 6

June 1

* The Ceylon Medical College was founded in 1870.

* Rhodesia renamed as Zimbabwe in 1970.

* The Jaffna Public Library was burnt down in 1981.

June 2

* The Massacre of 32 Buddhist Monks at Arantalawa, near Ampara in 1987.

* National Day of Italy.

June 3

* Court of Criminal Appeal sat for the first time in 1940.

June 5

* World Environmental Day

June 6

National Day of Sweden

Compiled by Asha SENEVIRATHNE

What did the farmer call the cow that had no milk?

An udder failure.

**

Why do gorillas have big nostrils?

Because they have big fingers!

**

What do you get from a pampered cow?

Spoiled milk.

**

Why are teddy bears never hungry?

They are always stuffed!

**

Why do fish live in salt water?

Because pepper makes them sneeze!

**

Where do polar bears vote?

The North Poll

**

What did the judge say when the skunk

walked in the court room?

Odor in the court!

**

What sound do porcupines make when

they kiss?

Ouch!

**

Why did the snake cross the road?

To get to the other ssssssside!

**

Why are fish so smart?

Because they live in schools.

**

Q: What do you call a cow that won't

give milk?

A milk dud!

Mrs. Peterson phoned the repairman because her dishwasher quit working. He couldn't accommodate her with an "after-hours" appointment and since she had to go to work, she told him, "I'll leave the key under the mat. Fix the dishwasher, leave the bill on the counter, and I'll mail you a check. By the way, I have a large rotweiler inside named Killer; he won't bother you. I also have a parrot, and whatever you do, do not talk to the bird!"

Well, sure enough the dog, Killer, totally ignored the repairman, but the whole time he was there, the parrot cursed, yelled, screamed, and about drove him nuts.

As he was ready to leave, he couldn't resist saying, "You stupid bird, why don't you shut up!"

To which the bird replied, "Killer, get him!!!"

Southern schools ready to renew ties with Northern schools

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha highlighted the importance of conducting educational programmes such as cultural events and sports activities among children in the Southern and Northern schools.

He said children from Southern schools must visit Northern and Eastern schools and vice versa to bridge the gap between different communities.

A special programme was initiated on May 29 to distribute uniform materials, school textbooks and educational equipment to the students in the Northern and Eastern districts.

Children are the assets in a country. They have the right and the sole responsibility to take the country forward for the sake of the next generation.

This could be done if there are no disasters or conflicts in their countries.

Today, Sri Lankan children are very lucky to see the end of the three decade old war which devastated the country and the lives of innocent human beings. It ended on an unforgettable note with the assurance that the war would never come up again. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who took up the challenge to end the long-drawn ethnic crisis, gave the three armed forces and the police the necessary leadership to achieve this great victory, in consultation with the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Children in the country irrespective of their caste, creed or religion say in one voice that they would not forget the service rendered by brave soldiers of the three armed forces and police to achieve this goal. The war victory was highly celebrated by schoolchildren all over the country during the past few days. Principals of schools

encouraged schoolchildren to organise various activities to coincide with this great victory.

Almost all schools in Colombo and the suburbs, including Ananda College, Visakha Vidyalaya, Mahanama College, Royal College, Anula Vidyalaya, D.S. Senanayaka Vidyalaya, Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa celebrated the war victory on a grand scale.

Some schools organised Dhamma sermons and milk rice Dansals. A school in the Kalutara District has decided to observe a two minutes silence everyday before the school starts to mark the victory.

Deputy Principal, Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda Priyanthi Samarasinghe organised a programme with students to felicitate the members of four Ranaviru families.

Principal, Bandaragama MV, Ranjith Premasiri said his students had organised various religious and cultural programmes to coincide with the war victory. The students also made donations to Ranaviru families in the area.

Mexico to host World Environment Day?

Mexico, a country at the crossroads of the Green Economy and one increasingly in the centre of regional and global affairs is scheduled to host the international 2009 World Environment Day celebrations on June 5. However, the swine flue crisis may have an impact on this.

The theme chosen by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which coordinates the day on June 5 on behalf of the UN system and the peoples of the world, will be `Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change'.

It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new agreement at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

The news that Mexico has been chosen to host World Environment Day (WED) 2009 was announced jointly by President Felipe Calder and Achim Steiner, UNEP's Executive Director at a press conference in Mexico City, sometime ago.World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment (WED).

Commemorated yearly on June 5, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

The day's agenda is to: 1. Give a human face to environmental issues; 2. Empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; 3. Promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; 4. Advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

This year's host to be Mexico reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP's Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign.

Accounting for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

Protecting children's rights International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed on June 4

The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed on June 4 each year. The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse. This day affirms the UN's commitment to protect the rights of children.

The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression celebrates the millions of individuals and organisations working to protect and preserve the rights of children. For example, the Global Movement for Children, with leadership from Nelson Mandela and Gracia Machel, is an inspiring force for change that involves ordinary people and families worldwide. The "Say Yes for Children" campaign, endorsed by more than 94 million people, calls for 10 positive actions to be taken to improve the lives of children. This day is a time for individuals and organisations all over the world to become aware of the impact of monstrosity of abuse, in all its forms, against children. It is also a time when organisations and individuals learn from or take part in awareness campaigns centred on protecting children's rights.

World No Tobacco Day is today

The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2009 is "Tobacco Health Warnings", with an emphasis on the picture warnings that have been shown to be particularly effective at making people aware of the health risks of tobacco use and convincing them to quit. More and more countries are fighting back against the epidemic of tobacco by requiring that packages of tobacco show the dangers of the product's use, as called for in guidelines to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.