ANNUAL PICNIC/SEVEN-A-SIDE CRICKET TOURNAMENT

10 AUGUST 2002

The above event will be held on
10 August 2002 at 10 a.m. with the participation of the Sri Lankan Cricket Club of Geneva and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka. Four teams – two from the cricket Club, one from the Mission and the other from SLAG (mixed teams – with a minimum of 2 members of the opposite sex in each team) – will be fielded for this event to be held at the Bout-du-Monde grounds in Champel.

If any member is interested in participating, please contact Sunil (022 349 1016 or 022 917 1275 – office) or Chinta (022 341 5358 or 022 917 8549). Participants are expected to bring their own food/drinks. SLAG will provide barbecuing facilities.

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REPORT: FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE

Geneva, 21-23 June 2002

The SLAG stall, located at the Parc des Bastions, received many visitors who were able to sample Sri Lankan cuisine (over 2000 plates sold), beer, arrack and purchase our world famous tea. The stall was adorned with posters depicting the island’s tourism destinations. Our Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Mr C. Mahendran, who happened to be in Geneva over the weekend, visited the stall and made the following observation. “I am pleased to note that SLAG, in its own way, is projecting a positive image of Sri Lanka. I will inform the Prime Minister of the Association’s efforts and that it must be recognized and acknowledged.”

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THANK YOU!!!

We would like to thank everyone who gave their time to making the SLAG stall at the 11th Fête de la Musique a successful fund-raising activity. We are still awaiting a bill from the Ville de Geneve, but we can estimate that around CHF 13,000 was raised. A certain portion of this amount will be retained to cover the cost overruns incurred from the New Year event, but a substantial amount will remain for charitable disbursements.

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SLAG CHARITABLE ASSISTANCE

Attached please find the SLAG Charity form that must be completed in order for the Charity Committee to review the application. Completed forms may be submitted by post to the SLAG mailing address, or preferably by email to hiranyas@yahoo.com, with a copy to ruvande@hotmail.com. The form is downloadable from the SLAG web site. All applications will be acknowledged. The Charity Committee may contact the applicant for further information.

Fund-raising and disbursement is a year-round activity. Hence, the Committee is not under obligation to disburse funds raised at events such as the Fête de la Musique within a specified time period. We require accountability, as these funds were raised through the collective efforts of the membership. Accordingly, acknowledgement and follow-up are prerequisites for the funds to be given to a project.

The Committee does not wish to place any restrictions as to the type of project or the amount requested. However, as stated in the guidelines for applicants, preference will be given to small projects in Sri Lanka which are focused on the marginalized needy and poor and for which external funds are necessary and/or strategic.

The Committee wishes to thank in advance all those involved in this task and looks forward to reviewing the submitted applications.

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SRI LANKA DANCE THEATRE

Geneva, 15 September 2002

SLAG is in the process of finalizing the arrangements to present the famous Budawattha Dance Troup in Geneva on 15 September 2002. The Troup is giving a performance in Zurich the previous day and we hope to bring them to Geneva. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our culture and introduce it to our friends and family. Tickets (@CHF 30) will be available from the latter part of August. Please contact any member of the Executive Committee for details. Further information will also be posted on the SLAG web site when it becomes accessible in the very near future.

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MEMBER NEWS

The President of SLAG was invited, along with the President of Swiss Travel Journalists Association, to participate in a radio program broadcast over Radio Cité Genève on 23 July 2002, on Sri Lanka as a tourism destination. This program was recorded after the visit of afore-mentioned Association to Sri Lanka in mid-June.
Mr. Ahamed Akram is no longer a member of the Executive Committee.

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FUTURE EVENTS

· Annual Picnic/Seven-a-side Cricket Tournament – 10 August 2002
· Hike (Zurich) – 25 August 2002 (organized by the Swiss Sri Lanka Association)
· Sri Lanka Dance Theater – 15 September 2002 (to be confirmed)
· Year End Party – 7 December 2002 (Zurich)
· Year End Party – 14 December 2002
· Charity Dinner & Dance – May 2003 (tentative)

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We apologize for the delay in the release of the SLAG web site. Our technical experts are analysing the problems and we hope to be online as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

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SLAG INFO is the newsletter of the Sri Lankan Association of Geneva and is circulated among the Sri Lankan Community and friends of SLAG. It carries details of the activities of the Association, as well as information on the activities of various associations that are of interest to its members.

SLAG INFO is produced under the guidance of the Executive Committee of the Sri Lankan Association of Geneva.

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