17TH ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY – SUNDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2002

The Assembly reviewed and approved the minutes of the 16th AGM, annual report and the statement of accounts of the Association for 2001. It also elected an Executive Committee and an auditor for 2001.
The Committee consists of the following officials:

President: Ruvan de Alwis Vice President: Hiranya Fernando
Secretary: Niroshini Epitawalage Treasurer: Chinta Rajap
Committee Members: Ahamed Akram, Upeka de Almeida, Asanga Gunawansa, Stanley Welikele
Honorary Auditor: Kenneth Dassanaike

The meeting placed on record the gratitude of the Association to the former President, Hema Dassanayake, the outgoing committee and the auditor for their excellent work during the previous year.

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SINHALA AND TAMIL NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

DATE: SATURDAY, 20 APRIL 2002
TIME: 6.00PM
LOCATION: SALLE DE LA TOUR, GRAND SACONNEX

As our first event for the year, we are very pleased to bring you an exciting programme of events to celebrate this significant day in our cultural calendar. We will have the customary games for children, a fancy dress parade and/or a avurudhu kumari contest, as well a number of traditional dancing items. The Chief Guest will be Sri Lanka’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, H.E. Prasad Kariyawasam.

A Sri Lankan avurudhu meal will be served – an opportunity to enjoy kiribath, kavum and kokkis just as if we were back home! And to burn it all off, what we hope will be an energetic two-hour baila session from 9.30pm onwards. This year, in the name of creating an authentic atmosphere, we would like to request as many people as possible to come in traditional dress: national costume, sarong & shirt, reddha & hatai, kandyian saree etc.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who is, as we speak, practising hard on their dance items, as well as all those who have come forward and volunteered to help out with various aspects of the event. If you would like to contribute in any way at all, or simply think of good “alluth avurudhu” ideas, please do not hesitate to contact Hiranya (079 285 6740). If you would like your children to participate in the separate games activities organised for them, please inform Shilomi (076 569 6819).

The entrance fee will be CHF 15.- for members (children under 18yrs free) and CHF 25.- for non-members (children under 18yrs CHF 10.-). We would like to encourage you to invite as many friends as possible to join is the festivities, however please ensure that you inform Norishini (022 788 8018) well in advance.

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INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF INVENTIONS

Geneva, 1 – 5 May 2002

Sri Lankan inventors, as in the past, will be participating at the 30th annual exhibition in Geneva. However, due to budget constraints, the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission is not in a position to sponsor more than two inventors and have sought, through the Permanent Mission in Geneva, our assistance. The Committee has decided to award CHF 500.- towards accommodation expenses. Furthermore, the participants will be requiring logistical assistance at the exhibition and if any member is willing to donate their time or other forms of assistance, they are requested to contact the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka at (022) 919-1259. Previous participants have won numerous awards at the exhibition, bringing honour and pride to our country.

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GYPSIES CONCERT

Zurich, 13 April 2002

For the fist time in Switzerland, the Gypsies will be performing in Zurich on Saturday 13 April 2002 from 7.00 PM – 1.00 AM at Salmen Kongresszentrum, Uitikoneerstrasse 17, 8952 Schlieren (Zurich). Tickets: CHF 40 (45 at the Gate).
For further information please contact Ms. Shirani Leemann, President, Swiss-Sri Lanka Association at (01) 362 1538.

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MEMBERSHIP

We wish to thank all the members who have paid their membership dues for the year 2002.

We would like to request those of you who have not done so already to kindly use the attached payment slip (bulletin de versement) and ensure that we receive your membership payment by 17 April 2002. Please note that at the New Year event, we will have only two rates at the door: members and guests. All those who are not on record as having paid by the 17th shall be charged the guest rate – no exceptions.

Please also find attached a revised Membership Form. The Association is in the process of updating the membership database and would be very grateful if you could please take a few minutes to fill it out. Particularly, where available, please provide private and professional email addresses. We would like to be able to communicate more easily and more frequently with you, and will eventually move towards the dissemination of the Newsletter and other major communications electronically, to save costs and to be more effective.

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OBITUARY

We regret to announce the passing away of the mother of Mr. Vitus Fernando on 26 February 2002. On behalf of the Sri Lankan community in Geneva, we convey our deepest sympathies to the family

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COMING ATTRACTION!

SLAG ON THE INTERNET

The Committee is in the process of creating a web site for the Association and we hope to make www.slageneva.org accessible very shortly.

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FUTURE EVENTS

· Fête de la Musique – 21 – 23 June 2002
· Annual Picnic/Seven-a-side Cricket Tournament- August 2002
· Year End Part y- 14 December 2002
· Swiss Sri Lanka Association Summer Party – 25 May 2002 (in Wittikon)

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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