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| Saturday, 31 January 2004 |
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by Irangika Range The closing ceremony of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Aquinas College of Higher Studies, Colombo 8 was held at the Don Peter Auditorium of the Aquinas College on January 28. Fifty Years of selfless service to the country is a long period in the history of any institution. Very Rev. Fr. Chrispin Leo, Rector of Aquinas College made the formal proclamation of the Golden Jubilee year on January 28, 2003, on the occasion of the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas. Golden Jubilee year with Holy Mass was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Chrispin Leo. Rector, in the college chapel. Bishop of Kandy Rt. Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando was chief guest and Christian affairs Minister John Amaratunga, Rector Rev. Fr. Chrispin Leo, Vice Rectors, Rev. Fr. Raymond Samarakoon and Rev. Fr. Namal Fernando, Registrar M. L. Fernando, Assistant Registrar A. Dias, lecturers, members of Alumni Association and students also participated. The opening prayer was conducted by Rev. Fr. Namal and several popular songs of peace were sung by participants. It was followed with the issue of a commemorative cover by the Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Posts. An inter religious seminar was conducted by the religious dignitaries of Methodist religion by Rev. Anura Perera, Buddhist religion by Co-Chairman, Inter Religious Peace Foundation Ven. Panditha Madampagama Assaji Nayaka Thera and Hindu religion by Swami K. L. M. Mohan Sharma. This ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of Kandy Rt. Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando. He said everybody should understand the need to build the moral values, co-existence for a peaceful country. "Although extremists try to destroy the country, if we join our hands, we can protect this beautiful small island," the Bishop said. Rt. Rev. Dr. Fernando said our country was in need of persons like Nelson Mandela. "In the early days people showed joy and happiness, but now people doesn't have time to get-to-gether, because of over work", he noted. "Humans normally feel jealous and angry with others but kindness, humanity and love should be established", he said. He said everybody should be united to build a peaceful country for the future generation. The jubilee day celebrations came to a close with a DJ from the students. The Golden Jubilee building constructed at the initiative of Rev. Fr. Chrispin Leo was blessed by the Archbishop of Colombo most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis on February 5, 2003. During this Jubilee Year they had a series of activities headed by the Jubilee committee and the Alumni Association to encourage the lecturers and the students. All activities lined up were brought to a successful conclusion. The unveiling of the portraits of past Rectors, felicitating the lecturers, past pupils now in religious orders, clerical and minor staff, jubilee walk, pilgrimages and picnics, jubilee graduation, seminars, inter-religious meetings where the religious dignitaries of all religions addressed the students, entertaining the less privileged children, jubilee dinner dance to raise funds for 100 scholarships to needy students also a memorial mass for the deceased Rectors, Lecturers, Registrars and Students. Aquinas college is registered with the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission of Sri Lanka to conduct courses and examinations at the tertiary level. The College is also affiliated to the International Federation of Catholic Universities in Paris. Aquinas holds a pre-eminent position in the Socio-Economic life of the country fashioning the minds of its youth. The campus provides a very healthy and peaceful environment conducive to educational activities. |
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