Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2009 on June 30

The Sri Lanka Economic Summit is renowned for its timely themes and hard-hitting topics. Organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, this year's summit, themed "Dawning of a new era ... Opportunities and Challenges", is being held in the backdrop of emerging opportunities in areas that were hitherto out of the economic development equation.

The Sri Lanka Economic Summit will be inaugurated on June 30 at the Cinnamon Grand. The technical sessions will be held from July 1- 2. 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of this forum.

The keynote speaker will be Yasushi Akashi.

Akashi, who holds a B.A. from the University of Tokyo, was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Virginia. Subsequent to his stint at the UN which he joined as the first Japanese citizen to do so in 1957 (and holding several key posts), he held the position of first President of the Hiroshima Peace Institute from 1998 -1999.

At present, he is the Representative of the Government of Japan on Peace building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka, the Chairman of the Japan Centre for Conflict Prevention, the Director, Foreign Language Research Institute of the Gunma Prefectural Women's University as well as holding several other positions in diverse institutions.

The Sri Lanka Economic Summit also brings in Dato Dr. K. Govindan, Deputy Director of the Economic planning unit, Malaysia as its Guest Speaker this year.

Dr. Govindan is also a member of the Securities Commission Team on International Promotion of the Capital Market.

He has extensive involvement in upgrading economic planning capabilities including Central Asia, Botswana and Cambodia. He has also helped Sri Lanka, Argentina, Zimbabwe and Kenya in economic crisis management. A special Address will also be given by Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris at the inauguration ceremony.