PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Friends,

With our first newsletter my committee and I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year. This year we will be celebrating it in Geneva a little later than usual, but I expect it to be a great success with help from all of you.
As most of you know I have been in the Sri Lankan association since its inception, participating in events and sharing with all of you the good and the bad times. After all these years I am privileged to take up the position of Presidency in a very significant year for the association. This is our 20th year as an association, which we believe must be some sort of record. We would like to acknowledge this and to celebrate it this year. Despite my familiarity with the association, I realize the huge task ahead of me and I look for your support and assistance to make this year a success.

Given the scale of the tragedy our country suffered after the Boxing Day Tsunami our committee has decided to dedicate our charity contributions this year specifically to relief efforts. If you have any worthy projects you believe should be assisted by the SLAG, please bring it to the attention of one of the committee members.

This year I would like to encourage the active participation of all our members in all our events, be it helping with the decoration of the hall for one of our events or helping cut onions for the cooking or selling our now famous rice and curry at the “Fête de la musique” or volunteering to organize a discussion forum. It’s your club and its continued success is in your hands. Thank You

Idroos Markar

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SINHALA & TAMIL NEW YEAR

The Sri Lankan Association of Geneva celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on May 21st 2005. The Chief guest was Hon. Minister of Health, Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva, who was attending the annual conference of the World Health Organisation.

A host of games and competitions for children and adults including ‘Aliyata Ass thabima’ (pinning the elephant’s eye) and banis kama (bun eating competition) were some of the highlights. A selection of cultural events including traditional song and dances featured at the event. An avrudu kumari/ kumaraya contest was organised for all our little ones. A buffet dinner of traditional kiri bath and luni miris followed by kavum, kokis and other avurudu goodies.

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SLAG HELPS TSUNAMI VICTIMS

The Association was able to contribute towards the efforts of helping Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka.

The SLAG contributed CHF 7,500 for the construction of two houses in a project (Janasarana) initiated by the ‘Swarnavahini’ television network.

The initial project included the construction of ten houses in Kahawa, approximately 5 km from Ambalangoda.

Each house consisted of two bedrooms, living room and a toilet. The cost covered the electricity and water supplies to the houses.
Former President Chandika Indikadahena took part in the foundation laying ceremony, that took place on the 11th February. Houses were completed within 4 weeks.

SLAG is happy to have been among the first projects to build houses for Tsunami victims. More photos of the completed housed on our website in the near future. Some 80,000 houses were destroyed in Sri Lanka by the Tsunami.

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OBITUARIES

It is with deep regret that we wish to inform our members and the Sri Lankan community at large, the demise of the loving mother of Mr. P. Hewawithanagamage of Rolle. The funeral took place last month in Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka.
We send our condolences to his family in Sri Lanka

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Fête de la Musique – June 17-19, 2005

Annual Summer Picnic – August 2005

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