Juliet Coombe joins Sanga in showcasing Sri Lanka to the Brits

As Kumar Sangakkara takes on the majestic chair of President MCC. Juliet Coombe will showcase Sri Lanka’s special delights and demand sustainable paths in a hard-hitting critique of past policies at a leading venue in London on 15th October 2019

Juliet Coombe:  “Sustainable Sri Lanka: An Island Dream?”

at  The Linnean Society (Meeting Room, at The Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J OBF………………… From 2pm – 3.30pm, Tuesday 15^th October 2019

Having survived the ravages of a 26-year war, the catastrophic damage of the world’s most humanly destructive natural disaster – the 2004 tsunami, – and the mindless Easter Sunday bombings, can Sri Lanka find its balance through ancient health systems based on wholesome natural foods, a slower more considerate pace of life in which people matter, and a passion for the beauty and richness of one’s surroundings that all spring from a generous and compassionate spirit?  Juliet Coombe is a war reporter, author of numerous books and an award-winning photojournalist in three continents with a passion for storytelling and building a more sustainable world.  Her thought-provoking talk will explore how Paradise can be exorcised, by taking the ethical pathway, sharing with us great visual examples and real human stories from around the island.

Juliet is deeply committed to Sri Lanka, having married a Sri Lankan and spent two decades living in the old city of Galle Fort. As a family, they have experienced some of the island’s most turbulent history. Like so many Sri Lankans, Juliet has loved and lost many friends and tragically also her husband Shiyam Careem in March of this year from a heart attack. Despite the relentless challenges, Juliet remains committed to building a sustainable long-term future for the island.  It has never been more important for Sri Lanka to find a positive global outlook and help save the planet from ecological and human disaster by reminding everyone that the power of great communications and communities working together are the key to success.  The world’s attention is on unsustainable practices (such as dredging sand from the sea for Colombo’s Port City, agro-chemical farming and deforestation).  The horrific Easter Sunday bombings critically exposed the danger of the island’s over-reliance on a fickle industry, like tourism.  Juliet’s hard-hitting talk will show how the extraordinary power of travel – if done the right way – can heal a country and improve people’s lives globally.

Sharing the wisdom of the country’s rich cultural history and ingenuity of the great ancient kings’ engineering and medical knowledge with successive generations could be the game-changer that rescues an island from vanishing from the world map or worse, being completely taken over by dark forces.  Her aim is to build a long-term vision that shows the world why this old world centre is truly the pearl of the Indian Ocean and one with which to be reckoned. Exclusively, there will be some wonderful SPA Ceylon, Herman Gunaratne’s Green Tea and other green prizes for the best most sustainable ideas, some of which Juliet will aim to establish in Sri Lanka.

Juliet has authored and co-authored numerous books on Sri Lanka and the environment, including the first guide after the civil war ended, viz., To the North and the East, Sri Lanka’s Other Half.

Other works include …. * Around The Galle Fort in 80 Lives (3 editions), ………… * Generation T …..    * Colombo City Guide ...…………………..* The Power Of Sri Lankan Art ……………………. *  The Devil’s Palette, ……………………… * Paradise Exorcised an environmental guide to the island for Jetwing Hotels ……………………. * Drawn To Galle Fort and 101 Unforgettable Experiences, the historic Galle Fort notebook ………………… and more recently two of an on-going series of wonderful children’s book, Donald Trunk, Sri Lanka’s Swimming elephant and a book on black magic.

Just absorb her remarkable photographic brilliance

Her joie-de-vie is infectious; her determination to show Sri Lanka’s true environmental and historic brilliance to the world, with its many incredible feats in engineering and medicine, is inspiring.

Doors will open to us from 1.30pm at the Linnean.  The talk will start promptly at 2pm and be followed by a Q&A session.  The talk and Q&A is expected to conclude by 3.15pm.  We regret on this occasion the Library is occupied so we cannot serve refreshments, hence the reduced ticket price, but we encourage you all to bring a small bottle of water with you and perhaps afterwards friends, at their own expense, can drift over to one of the many cafés at the RA for tea.

Events Secretary: Miss Chamali Fernando  HYPERLINK mailto: Chamali.fosla@gmail.com” Chamali.fosla@gmail.com

ONLINE TICKETS £8 each for members/ £10 for non-members