One man’s global journey to make education a reality
On a sunny morning in 2003, German businessman Reiner Meutsch was crossing a street in Jordan to attend a meeting when the sight of a young boy standing in the street with a Kalashnikov rifle stopped him in his tracks. When he asked the boy why he wasn’t in school, the reply was that his [...]
Country Roads returns with music and memories
When Feizal Samath began his Country Roads concert in 1988, it was meant to be a one-off effort to raise funds for refugee children in Trincomalee. Today it is billed the longest running charity concert for children in South Asia, and Feizal himself has been the driving force behind it, stepping out of his journalistic [...]
26 years on, the Book Fair is back for a new chapter
‘The Book Fair’ is an annual tradition many of us have grown up with, graduating from The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Enid Blyton and then Agatha Christie. The Fair conjures a host of nostalgic memories not the least being just part of the crowds or sharing evening sundaes or achcharu with friends under the giant [...]
Kingswood College and the boys who fought in WW1
As we know, there was a great feeling of patriotism among young men in Ceylon at the outbreak of the War in 1914. Coming after 99 years of complete British domination of the island, many Ceylonese obviously felt a strong loyalty to King and Empire. The Christian schools of Colombo, such as S. Thomas’, St. [...]
Letters to the Editor
Matara MC: Stuck in the dark ages Although Matara was upgraded to a Municipal Council several decades ago, it still operates as if it was stuck in the past. There is no official website, no facility for online payments, no proper telephone directory, and not even official email addresses. This appalling state of affairs clearly [...]
Appreciations
The civil servant who turned author and mentor RODERIC GRIGSON Roderic Grigson, an international civil servant, a prolific writer and author of several books, passed away in early September in Melbourne, Australia. Born and educated in Colombo, he lived there until he was 21 before launching out on a career at the United Nations. Rod’s [...]
Edible sweet flowers that give the tree its name
This large tree is common in the dry and intermediate zone but less common in the wet zone, although it is planted along roadsides in urban areas, such as Colombo. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. Like the country almond, the honey tree also sheds its leaves during the dry season. It has [...]
Step into a world of dance in a transformed Lionel Wendt
Next weekend (September 26-28), the Chitrasena Dance Company will present ‘Namo Vajiraye-The Unfolding Legacy’ at the Lionel Wendt in memory of Vajira Chitrasena, who passed away one year ago. The commemorative event is in two parts; an exhibition during the day and performance by the company each evening. When Vajira’s granddaughter and the company’s current [...]
When wishes comes true even for a day!
A seven-year-old boy dreamed of becoming a police officer. For one day, that dream became real. He wore the uniform, sat in a patrol car, and for a brief moment, he lived in a world where illness no longer defined him. Four months later, he passed away. Yet what remained was not only the memory [...]
A pictorial field guide to Lanka’s wildlife
British publisher John Beaufoy Publishing has released another title in its range of Sri Lankan natural history books. If you are looking for one field guide covering Sri Lankan wildlife, A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka is designed to be that book. The book covers over 90 per cent of all birds, [...]
National Trust lecture on preserving heritage
This month’s National Trust lecture titled “Preservation and Conservation of Documentary Heritage” will be delivered by Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe on Thursday, September 25 at 6 p.m. at the Auditorium of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka, No. 6, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7. (For those who join online: https://youtube.com/live/Ui7ibB5McUs?feature=share) The lecture looks at the preservation [...]