We have to get rid of those nuclear weapons. - George Wald, American Scientist

Achieving a safer world

Dear children,

Hope all of you are fine and getting ready for the new school term next week.

How many of you knew that yesterday was the International Day against Nuclear Tests? August 29 was declared as the International Day against nuclear tests by the United Nations (UN) in 2009 to promote the idea that every effort should be made to end nuclear tests in order to prevent devastating and harmful effects on the lives of people.

The main intention is to educate everyone on the necessity of banning nuclear tests to achieve a safer world.

This harmful testing of nuclear weapons began in the mid-twentieth century. After the first testing in 1945, nearly 2000 tests have taken place. It seems that still people are not quite aware of the devastating effects of nuclear testing.

That is why world wide programmes are necessary to educate everyone on the harmful effects of nuclear tests on environment and human lives.

Yesterday there were awareness campaigns and exhibitions through out the world to draw people's attention to the dangers of explosions caused by nuclear weapon tests. A world free of nuclear weapons is everyone's wish.

Bye for now,
Sanju

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The Blue Umbrella

Sunny Stories:

Last Saturday morning Marshi opened her eyes and wondered if she had woken up in the middle of the night. No chinks of sunlight peeped through the curtains of the bedroom windows. But the clock on the wall said the time was ten past six o'clock. Why was it still so dark? Then Marshi heard the sound of raindrops falling on the leaves of the mango tree outside the window.

Humpty and Dumpty

Marshi turned to her sister, Hasini.
"Looks like it is going to be another rainy day," she said.
Hasini groaned. "It has been raining for three days now. Wonder where the sun has gone?"

"Perhaps the sun too has gone on holiday like uncle Sumathi and aunty Shani."

"Perhaps," said Hasini. "We should better get up and go with mother to uncle Sumathi's house to switch off the lights."

"Yes," said Hasini. "We helped mother switch the lights on last night as uncle Sumathi asked us to do so every night till they come back from their vacation."

They dressed quickly and went in search of mother.

"Come on, children," said mother. "Let us switch the lights off and hurry back home. I did not want you getting wet and catching a cold."

Mother handed two umbrellas to Marshi and Hasini and took one for herself.

At uncle Sumathi's house the children waited on the front doorstep watching the raindrops falling onto aunty Shani's flower pots while mother went inside switching off the lights.

Rain drops on roses...Hasini started to sing the lines of the song from the movie The Sound of Music. "Shhhhh" said Marshi. "Listen."

"Meow, Meow". They listened again.

"Meow." They looked around the garden and saw two cats seated on the corner of the wall built round the garden.

"They are getting wet. Let us call them in," said Marshi.
"Come on, little cats," said Hasini.

But at the sound of their voices the cats looked scared and tried to jump down from the wall.

"Let us give them one of our umbrellas" suggested Marshi. "We can share one umbrella on our way back home."

Marshi and Hasini walked slowly towards the two cats and placed Marshi's blue umbrella gently over the two shivering bundles of fur.

When mother came out of the house she was surprised to see the children sharing one umbrella. Marshi showed mother the two cats on the wall and her blue umbrella protecting them from the rain. mother smiled and said "Wonder how the cats came to be on the wall. Aunty and uncle do not have pets. But let them be."

That evening when aunty Shani and uncle Sumathi returned from their vacation they dropped in at Marshi's house to collect the spare key. Uncle Sumathi said "There were two cats under an umbrella on our wall when we came home."

"We took them inside and gave them some milk." Added aunty Shani.
Marshi and Hasini were happy to hear this. They explained how they had given the cats their umbrella.

“That was very kind of you," said aunty Shani. “We will return your umbrella tomorrow morning. If it does not rain you can come and play with the two cats."

"Thank you aunty Shani," said Marshi. "Can we give two names to the cats?"
“Can we call them Humpty and Dumpty" asked Hasini.
"Yes, of course," said aunty Shani.

"And" laughed uncle Sumathi "Even though not all the king's men could fix the real Humpty Dumpty your blue umbrella saved our Humpty and Dumpty."

-Aditha

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Avukana Buddha statue

Near the village of Avukana, located in the Anuradhapura district, stands the tallest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka. The Avukana Buddha statue is almost 12 metres high and is carved out from a granite cliff.

It is almost free standing being joined to the cliff by just a narrow piece of rock.

It is commonly believed that this statue was constructed sometime in the fifth century, during the reign of King Dhathusena. Although carved thousand years ago it is still in extremely good condition.

Kalindu Pansilu
grade 8E
D S Senanayake College
Colombo 7