Category Archives: female empowerment

The Indian Tamils in British Ceylon & Sri Lanka: Pursuing Their Equality TODAY

International Conference focusing on  the topic MOVING TOWARDS EQUALITY AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH.”….  200 years of People of Indian Origin Tamils (IOT) in Sri Lanka” …. BCIS Auditorium (The Olympus), BMICH, Colombo,  11th December 2023

Welcome & Opening Address: Dr. Mario Gomez
Executive Director
International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Colombo …

 Inaugural Address:  Dr. Yasodara Kathirgamathamby
Conference Chair, Department of Legal Studies
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
The Open University of Sri Lanka

Special Address: Prof. Gamini Keerawella, 
Executive Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo

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Revelations within Colonial Photographs of Ceylon: “Veins of Influence”

Veins of Influence: Colonial Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in Early Photographs and Collections, by Shalini Amerasinghe Ganendra

 [This book is a pioneering monograph that brings a rich array of early and previously unpublished images of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) into the global discourse of photography, pairing a striking lens of visual appreciation with distinctly humanizing perspectives.

 

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Ruvendrini Menikdiwela in Key UNHCR Role

News Item: “Secretary-General appoints Ms. Ruvendrini Menikdiwela of Sri Lanka as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Ruvendrini Menikdiwela of Sri Lanka as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  Ms. Menikdiwela will succeed Gillian Triggs of Australia, to whom both the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Refugees are grateful for her dedicated service to the refugee cause.

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Chamari Atapaththu: Outstanding Sri Lankan Cricketer

Chamari Athapaththu …. stood Out once again for Sri Lanka in England this summer …. armed with a Kingsgrove Sports Cricket Bat                                                                                     

In the light of her outstanding record, Take a close look at her cricket bat: it bears the name of “Kingsports.”This is whee the ALOYSIAN connection fits into the narrative. Kingsporss is the com[any owned by HARRY SOLOMONS who is a great supporter of Sri Lankan cricket and sponsors Chamari among other cricketers.

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“Jamaican Farewell” in Sinhala ….. Not Sad to Say ….

A Welcome Rendering by a Sri Lankan Lass 

 …………….. who has now earned the sobriquet

………………………..”Mrs Harrybella Fonseka”

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Sri Lankan Women’s Cricket Team trounce England in England

Michael Roberts

The Sri Lanka Women’s Eleven’s win at Chelmsford in England highlights the wonderful improvement in the side and gleaming prospects in the near future. The side may be benefitting from the heat wave in Europe as well as England’s decision to rest one or two experienced campaigners; but the facility and margin of victory was commanding.  Andrew Miller’s account in ESPNcricinfo says it all.

Besides the triumph was not out of the blue. The team won the second encounter  comfortably after dismissing England for 104 runs — then reaching 110 for the loss of two wickets with 40 balls remaining.

Chamari Athapaththu was player of the match after a formidable all-round display  •  PA Photos/Getty Images

So, I encourage Sri Lankan cricket buffs to follow the series and add their thoughts on the events that follow……………………… Michael R

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Enjoying Peradeniya Campus Life in the Late 1960s

Sumangalika Dharmadasa, in  the booklet HANTHANA NIGHT , produced by the University of Peradeniya Alumni Association Western Australia in 2023 … where her title reads “Campus Life of Yore: Through the Eyes of a Fresher”” 

6th October, 1965 is a land mark date in my memory, as it surely must be in the memory banks of all the Freshers who entered the hallowed portals of the university of Peradeniya all those years ago. The sense of freedom and independence I felt after the cloistered life in school hostels was truly exhilarating.  For the first time in my life, I was free to do just as I wished!  I did not know then that I was destined to remain in that wonderful place for over 50 years.

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Survivor’s Tales: A Kidnapping …. & …. Dunkirk Rescue Boat

From the MIRROR

Surviving Kidnapping: When Stephanie Slater was kidnapped by killer Michael Sams back in 1992, he kept her captive in a lockable wheelie bin. But rather than murder her – as he had done with his previous victim Julie Dart – he demanded a ransom and let her go after it was paid. But why did Sams release her? In a fascinating new revelation about the case, it seems the Mirror’s own health expert Dr Miriam Stoppard played a key part. Stephanie had read Dr Miriam’s advice book on how girls can deal with dangerous situations including how to build a rapport if you find yourself in a vulnerable situation. Sams was later jailed for life for murdering Julie and abducting Stephanie. Dr Miriam says: “I have never expected anything I have written to have such a big effect on somebody’s life.”

Stephanie Slater

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Islamic Women’s Veils: Some Desultory Thoughts

 Michael Roberts

 On re-reading an entry in Thuppahi on the Burqa with two striking illustrations that contrasted

X …..a photograph of a Western woman in a see-through net dress walking stark naked in a busy street ….. WITH …

Y …. Illustrations of the various types of veiled Islamic women, ……

 

 

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“Lake Beauty”: A Murder Mystery in the Aussie Outback

A Novel entitled “Lake Beauty” by Rob George …. with hihlighting mpose d by The Editor, Thuppahi

... where Sam and Annie conspire against authority to bring about justice for a murdered woman. 

 

 

 

 

 

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