Welcome back SWY!!
Bhagya Senaratne
|
Sri Lankan delegates of previous SWY programmes
|
As the darkness creeps in, the days for the Ship for World Youth to
return to Sri Lanka are drawing close. As you sit to read this, the
Ship-M/S Fuji Maru would have started her journey, heading towards Sri
Lanka. It is this magnificent moment that we all await; for the Ship for
World Youth to come to Colombo!
This year, the Ship for World Youth in its 24th programme will be
calling on Chennai, India and Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Ship is calling at
the Port of Colombo after an astounding 15 years and Sri Lanka is
extremely proud to be able to host this wonderful programme in our
beautiful island nation.
The Administrator of the Ship, Takashi Kanakubo, said he is really
excited to visit Sri Lanka and to be able to meet the participants from
SWY22, whom he had previously met when Sri Lanka was given the
opportunity to participate in the programme when the Ship sailed in
2010.
|
Fuji Maru |
This year, for the 24th Ship for World Youth programme, Sri Lanka has
sent an energetic and talented youth contingent. This comprises of
Chamil Samarasinghe who is the National Delegation Leader and working
along with him are Pavithra Jayawardane and Tharaka Jayasekara
functioning as the Assistant National Leaders of the delegation. The
balance of the Sri Lankan delegation comprise of Halik Azeez, Pubudu
Kumara, Guvani Ariyaratne, Chamara Nugaliyadda, Kalaiselvin
Thirukkethiswaranathan, Lakmini Ranathunga, Didula Rajapaksa and Mohamed
Risvi.
Sri Lanka has prepared a thorough and very interesting programme for
the youth that will be arriving in Colombo under the guidance of the
Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dulles Allahapperuma along
with the efficient and skilled staff at the National Youth Services
Council headed by Lalith Piyum Perea.
It is possible for the youth of Sri Lanka to enjoy prestigious
programmes such as this today, as our country is enjoying the peace
achieved under the leadership of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, after
nearly three decades of war.
Therefore, it is important that Sri Lanka make the best of this
programme this year, as the opportunity for the Port of Call has been
awarded to Sri Lanka after 15 years, when the Ship, then Nippon Maru
last came to Sri Lanka in 1992. |
