Book launch: An introduction to Kandyan Dance by Dilini Seneviratne

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President of APSL. Thushara Madurasinghe recently attended a function to represent the Association at a book launch organised by Ms Dilini Seneviratn Dilini  a Kandyan Dancer / instructor. The event was held at the London West End Hilton Hotel.

Dilini and her dance troop performed at the Annual APSL Dinner Dance in 2019.  The event was well attended and amongst distinguished invitees  was Mr Nalin Perera of Sri Lanka Tourism and Harrow Councilor Ms Karima Marrikar.

APSL would like to take this opportunity to congratulate  Dilini on her grate achievement and which her book turns out to be a great success. 

Late Florence De Silva Memorial Fund donation to Erudite Institute (Pragna Shalikawa) in Kuruwita, Ratnapura.

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APSL through the Late Florence De Silva Memorial Fund, donated a projector, screen and and other items to Erudite Institute (Pragna Shalikawa) in Kuruwita, Ratnapura. Children and residents of the area highly appreciated this donation and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to APSL.  

APSL represented at United Nations Climate Change conference 2021 – COP26

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Executive committee members President Thushara Madurasinghe and Project lead Gihantha Jayasinghe represented APSL at the United Nations Climate Change conference 2021 which ended concluded recently. Consensus was reached by over 190 countries after two weeks of intense negotiations. Progress was made to get commitments to cut emissions to keep within reach the global warming limit of 1.5 degrees celsius, to reach the target of 100 billion USD per year of climate finance to developing and vulnerable countries and also to get agreement on the Paris rulebook.
Our members had the opportunity to meet delegates from other nations as well as catch up with the Sri Lankan delegation. It also gave an opportunity to attend sessions and mingle with worldwide dignitaries including PM Boris Johnson. US President Joe Biden, HRH Prince William, Bill Gates, Elle Goulding, Theresa May, Barack Obama, US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, Indian PM Narendra Modi, Liz Truss, COP26 President Alok Sharma, First minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen just to name a few.
APSL continues to strive on its solar villages in Sri Lanka and has plans to expand the project over the coming few months

APSL @ COP26

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The President of APSL Thushara Madurasinghe and We Sri Lanka Project lead Don Gihantha Jayasinghe  represented APSL at  a Pre COP26 meeting organised by the International Nitrogen Management Systems (INMS) and the Government of Sri Lanka on the 31st Oct 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. The event was titled: Rediscovering Nitrogen: Solutions and synergies for Climate Change, Health Biodiversity and Circular Economy. The session focused on sustainable nitrogen management. It was mentioned that Daniel Rutherford discovered nitrogen in 1772 and James Hutton established the world’s first nitrogen manufacturing plant in Scotland.

The Keynote address was delivered by H.E Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka who is also leading the Colombo Declaration on sustainable Nitrogen management.

Amongst the VVIP’s/VIP’s in attendance were:

H.E Gotabaya Rajapaksa – President of Sri Lanka

H.E Ibrahim Mohamed Solih – President of Maldives

Hon. Prof. G. L. Peiris – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka

Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland – Secretary General of the Commonwealth

Prof. Julie Fitzpatrick – Chief Scientific Advisor for Scotland

Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera – Minister for Environment, SL

Hon. Duminda Dissanayake – Minister for Solar Power and Energy, SL

H.E Mrs Saroja Sirisena, Sri Lankan High Commissioner

Mr. Samantha Pathirana – Deputy High Commissioner

Prof. Mark Sutton, Director – INMS

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon  – Minister South Asia – FCDO

Mr. Lalith Weeratunga  – Private Secretary to H. E. President of Sri Lanka

Dr. Anil Jasinghe – Secretary – Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka

Prof. Michael Eddleston – Sri Lanka Hon Consul in Scotland

APSL representatives managed to have in depth discussions with many of the above individuals about the work  of APSL and in particular the Solar Village project which goes in line and supports the COP26 agenda and aims. In particular on discussion with H.E Gotabaya Rajapaksha he reviewed with us the concept of Solar Villages and other work of APSL.  They also had separate discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Hon. Prof. G.L Peiris about APSL projects.

APSL invited to the launch of UK – Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce

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Several executive committee members of APSL were present at the launch of the Sri Lanka – UK Chamber of Commerce – reception held at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London, on the 26th of October 2021. In attendance were Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ms. Sarah Hulton (OBE) and Sri Lankan High Commissioner Ms. Saroja Sirisena amongst many other dignitaries and High Commission staff.

SLHC and APSL Research Symposium 2021

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“SLHC and APSL Research Symposium 2021”, jointly organised by the Association of Professional Sri Lankans in the UK and the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom will be held on 1st September 2021 from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm.
 
The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Vice-Chancellor, University of Leicester, UK, and a guest address will be delivered by Professor Sudantha Liyanage, Vice-Chancellor, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
 
This will be a virtual event, held in two sessions. Please see the attached flyer for further details and links to register for the event.
 
First Session: Academic Presentation (10.00 am – 4.00 pm BST)
 
Second Session: Keynote Address, Guest Address and Awards (5.00 pm – 7.00 pm BST) 
 
Please click here to download the event flyer and symposium programme.
 

APSL donated 200 Non Rebreather Masks (NRB) and 5ply KN 95 respirator masks to Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowilla

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We are pleased to inform you that we have donated much needed Non-Rebreather Masks (NRB) and 5ply KN 95 Respirator Masks to Colombo South Teaching Hospital (CSTH), Kalubowilla, to help treat the increased number of Covid patients within the region. These items will be dispatch to treat covid patients within the hospital premises and associated intermediate treatment centres within the area.

We have donated,

  1. 200 Non Rebreather Masks (NRB) with reservoir bags = 500.00 LKR x 200 = 100,000.00 LKR
  2. 5ply KN 95 respirator masks – 50 LKR x 300 = 15,000.00 LKR (donated in June)
  3. Total – 115,000.00 LKR

On behalf of APSL, Dr Rukshani  Edirisinghe– CSTH Level 2 transfer coordinator and Dr Kushan Athukorala handed over the items to Dr Sagari Kiriwandeniya – Director CSTH, Dr Upali Wijemanna – Deputy Director CSTH, Dr Sandaruwan – Secretary Donation Committee CSTH, Dr Chula – Covid Advisory Committee, Dr Damitha– Donation Committee and the representative medical officers of Covid Isolation Ward and Covid High Dependency Unit at CSTH.  

APSL wishes to thank, Dr Kushan Athukorla, Dr Rukshani  Edirisinghe, Mr Rohan De Alwis and Mrs Ruki Pinidiya for their dedication, commitment and kind coordination and all our donors for supporting the cause.

Please see below photos of the donation.

  

APSL We Sri Lanka Webinar: Motivating young people to nurture inclusivity, and sustain racial and religious harmony in Sri Lanka.’

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The next APSL We Sri Lanka Webinar featuring Prashan De Visser, President and Founder of Sri Lanka Unites and Global Unites will be held from 2-3pm on Saturday , 14th August, 2021.
The topic for the presentation will be ‘Motivating young people to nurture inclusivity, and sustain racial and religious harmony in Sri Lanka.’
A Q&A session will follow the talk.
Please register in advance using this link.
Please click here to download the event flyer.

APSL – Florence De Silva Fund: Expansion of the Isolation unit and colour-wash of the Pediatric ward at the District General Hospital, Chilaw

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We are pleased to inform that we have managed to complete the expansion of the isolation unit and colour wash of the Pediatrics Ward at the District General Hospital, Chilaw through APSL – Florence De Silva Fund.  Chilaw Hospital is the largest Hospital in the Puttalam district and provides services to a large number of children in the district. The project was completed in a timely manner as this added an enormous benefit to the hospital and the region especially to deal with the current wave of the Covid 19 pandemic in Sri Lanka.

During the project, the isolation unit was upgraded to an appropriate Respiratory Isolation Unit and colourwashed the entire Pediatric Ward to ensure a child-friendly environment. The work was carried out by the maintenance unit staff members at DGH- Chilaw.

On behalf of APSL, we would like to thank Dr Sasitha Thenuwara, Medical Officer – Orthopedic and the maintenance staff at DGH- Chilaw for their kind coordination and dedication towards the project.

Before the upgrade 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the upgrade