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PRESIDENT 2025-26
As the Editor, it is my absolute honourto warmly welcome you to the firstedition of The Blogger for the RI year2025-26. This inaugural quarter hasbeen nothing short of extraordinary,which is why we have ensured everyarticle is given the dedicated space itdeserves. As you ride through thesepages, we hope you feel as though youwere standing right there with us.It is a reflection of a world waking up, moving from a long silenceinto a period of rich growth and color. Within these pages, theimmense creativity of our members serves as a heartbeat for ourcollective potential.Every story is a reflection of our passion to make a meaningfuldifference, carefully captured to show the impact we have doneand the impact it has had on us.Above all, this isn’t a one-man show. Every milestone is woven witheveryone’s DNA and is only possible because our team continuesto show up with a shared purpose to strive to serve. Every lessonEDITOR 2025-26
As Steve Jobs said, “The only way to do great work is to love whatyou do.”
The Rotaract Club of SLIIT added 10 outstanding awards to its belt:Rtr. Rana Rilwan EDITOR 2025-26
You get Project Synergist, theultimate two-day team-buildingescape by the Rotaract Club ofSLIIT.Hosted at the Olivia Bungalow inWattala, right next to the beach,this was more than just a retreat -it was a chaotic, laughter-filled,unforgettable kickoff to ourAfter lunch, our President and Vice Presidents shared their vision forthe year. Then came the main event: the Scavenger Hunt. with finding a crumpled piece of paper hidden in the villa, afterwhich chaos erupted. The task list included flipping bottles underpressure, blindfolded three-legged races, and diving into the pool tofish out coins. Screams, splashes, and some creative cheatingensued. What happens when you throw 25 energetic Rotaractors into abeachside villa with no schedule except to bond hard and playharder?
As the sun dipped, we headed forpool time - splash wars, impromptuwater aerobics, and debates aboutRtr. Yasiru Vithana EDITOR 2025-26
Just like the co-directors of this event, I am here with a simplemission: “To normalize failure, not fear it.”Failure is the best teacher, yet when opportunities come knocking,
When asked about ‘human’moments as lecturers, Selvaratnam recalled a lastminute lecture that left him soanxious, he had to leave beforebecoming a \"health hazard”, hejoked.After the laughter subsided, Rtr.Miyuni asked, “Students oftenout’, what’s one career or life misstep you made that actuallyhelped you grow as a professional?”Dr. Nilanga Abeysinghe shared that after graduation, he had twocollege options but turned down both to travel and startsomewhere fresh, leading him to a job at a research center inColombo. He advised the audience that knowing only one thingwill not take you far and urged them to learn different skills,regardless of their degree. Dr. Naren Selvaratnam recounted howhis brother tried to pressure him to change his psychology major
Dr. Nilanga Abeysinghe offered aperspective on culturalconditioning, explaining that inour society, mistakes are oftenblamed on ourselves, whilesuccess is credited to externalfactors, creating fear of failure.However, in Jewish culture, theopposite is often true. Thisstop for you, so do what you want.” The session concluded with afun “Fail Bingo,” engaging participants in relatable, everyday fails.Segment 2: LEARN FROM THE LDr. Naren Selvaratnam, then led a session on hypnosis, debunkingmyths, and guiding the audience through a 15-20 hypnosis exercise.Unable to top that, Rtr. Miyuni wrapped up the event with apowerful message: “The next time you fail: don’t hide it, don’t fear it.Instead, be courageous enough to fail forward.”Rtr. Rana Rilwan EDITOR 2025-26
By mid-2024, tourism earnings had already climbed significantly,proving recovery is possible. Globally, tourism bounced back toalmost pre-pandemic levels, with Asia leading the demand.Rtr. Kavya Thotawatte EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER 2025-26
Following International Youth Day, the Rotaract Club of SLIIT (RID3220), Sri Lanka, and the Rotaract Club of Akash (RID 3233), India,conducted the Youth Empowerment Program “NEXTGEN SPARX”to remind us why the youth are the biggest hope this world has.Held on August 13, 2025, as an online conference, the event focusedon key topics for young people todanavigating generational challenges, and understanding their rightsto empower themselves.Mr. Mahendra Jayasekara began by asking, “What is youth?” and
He concluded with a powerful line: “Without education, you don’tknow the past, and without the past, you will never know how thefuture came about.”Following him, Ms. Neelam Jain, founder of PeriFerry and TEDxspeaker, began by stating that youth don’t need to be empowered -they already are. She explained that while young people dreamunthinkable things with belief, experiethose dreams.Ms. Jain stressed the importance of writing down ideas anddreams, as this creates clarity and permanence. She alsointroduced the idea of “glorified quitting,” emphasising that trueempowerment comes from choosing a path authentic to oneself,not one that pleases everyone.NEXTGEN SPARX served as a bridge between nations, bringingtogether two clubs to empower the next generation. The insightsfrom Mr. Jayasekara and Ms. Jain offered youth a blueprint totransform dreams into tangible reality, not just for themselves, butRtr. Rana Rilwan EDITOR 2025-26
Ever wanted to attend a TED Talk?The Rotaract Club of SLIIT brought a powerful version to life withRotaTED 2025 on August 29th, under the theme “Empower YourMind.”The event made pit stops in Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, gatheringRotaractors and participants to exchange cultures in order toempower and inspire young minds.The event kicked off with a welcome address by Rtr. Raju Sharmafrom Rotaract Club of Rudramati (RID 3292 – Nepal) for over 70
Mr. Shrestha emphasized that the ability to be creative, take risksand adapt to any sort of scenario or obstacle is exactly what willlead you to success. A Q&A session followed, allowing participants tobetter grasp his perspective on this rapidly changing trend.Session 2: The Use of Artificial IntelligenceThe Rotaract Club of Bengaluru United (RID 3191 – India) excitedlyintroduced the second guest speaker, Mr. Prashant Bhapkar. Hedove deep into how AI has seeped through every moment andopportunity in our lives, reshaping industries and their operations.Rtr. Rana Rilwan EDITOR 2025-26
Building strong global connections is at the core of theInternational Services Avenue, and our efforts have stretchedconsistently across the months. Beginning mid-year, we
Month of JulyRotaract Club of Sunsine Sangli (RID 3170)Rtr. Kavya Thotawatte EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER 2025-26
This meeting was just a meeting in the eyes of strangers but itmarked a moment of “WE MADE IT” for those involved. Theoutgoing Board of Officials stepped down with deep gratitude for ayear of achieved goals, while the new Board of Officials stepped up,ready to be the club's driving force.The meeting was called to order with the ceremonial sound of thegavel struck by the Outgoing President, Rtr.IPP Jayod Perera.Following the national anthem of Sri Lanka, the Rotaract formalitieswere recited by Rtr. Gemini Biseka.
Adithya, delivered his inaugural address, expressing gratitude andpromising a year that would truly define the purpose of Rotaract.He then welcomed the newly appointed Board of Officials for RIYear 2025–26, presenting them with their official appointmentletters.The gathering was then addressed by Rtn. Rtr. PP Hillary Perera, theGCC, who profoundly appreciated the dedicated service of the2024–25 Board and extended her heartfelt best wishes to theincoming Board.Rotaract year.As we embark on our newjourney, we extend oursincerest gratitude to theoutgoing board for theirdedicated leadership andfor so gracefully guidingus into our new roles.
Thank you toRtr. Jayod Perera for an unforgettable year, for her legacy of leadership, and to Rtr. Charith Yohan whoprevented complete chaos in our schedules.Rtr. Gemini Biseka and Rtr. Shameena Abdeen for making ourconnections global, and to Rtr. Tanuri Dissanayake and Rtr.Kavisha Yapa for capturing our stories.Our diligent record-keepers, Rtr. Duwaragie Kugaraj and Rtr.Harithra Karunakaran, and to Rtr. Yasith Adithya for his Rtr. Rana Rilwan EDITOR 2025-26
A wise person once said, “Be willing to be a beginner every singlemorning.”Day 1 RotaVerse 2025 kicked off on August 9th with Rtr. YasithAdithya, the President, welcoming participants and explaining thespirit of Rotaract. To break the ice of awkwardness, participantswere asked to start a story with the opening line: “I was walking inthe morning when I saw a chicken on the road.” The story took aworld tour with twists and turns, leaving everyone overcome withlaughter.Participants were then organized into pre-determined teams,assigned a campsite to mark their territory, and quickly developed
drenaline to find hidden clues. They returned exhausted but visiblysatisfied, proving that full commitment, regardless of onlookers,was the real victory.After the in-person event, the online phase began. Throughout theweek, participants had to complete activities that were sure tohighlight true talent and show every participant’s strengths, as theteams worked remotely to complete all the requested tasks.August 16th arrived with the anticipated Day 2. Rtr. Miyuni DeAlmeida summoned the crowd with the Squid Game phrase, “
The final and most crucial segment saw the participants shine bypresenting their innovative project ideas, ranging from a “Mic DropDebate Edition” to “Sri Lanka’s 90s to 2000s Fair.” The presentationsRtr. Rana Rilwan EDITOR 2025-26
Rtr. Chanithi Korala EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER 2025-26
“When the odds are against you, that’s when you show your truecharacter.” - Shikhar DhawanOn 28th September, the long-awaited Clash of Avenues finallyunfolded at the Nawinna grounds, Maharagama. The excitementwas tangible, but like every great story, this one started with a touchof drama, with some rain clouds threatening to wash away weeks ofanticipation. As hope of glory was starting to drain and spiritsbegan to fade, the sun decided to make it to the show, lighting upthe field like a spotlight, and we got to work.
From there on, the energy onlyintensified. The Sports andRecreational Activities Avenue team Rtr. Erandi Sandunika and Rtr. Savini Yasanayake EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2025-26
Rtr. Erandi Sandunika EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER 2025-26
Rtr. Erandi Sandunika EDITORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER 2025-26
Rtr. Fathima Nama Jabeer GENERAL MEMBER
Across2. The number of legs on a dog.4. In science fiction or physics, this happenswhen time moves slower for one person thananother.Down1. An adjective used to describe creatures likeunicorns or phoenixes that aren't real.2. A genre of stories that includes magic,dragons, and wizards.3. You exchange these at a wedding.SOLVE THE CROSSWORD AND CHECK THEPAGES TO FIND THE THEME AND WIN A GIFT!
RTR. RANA RILWANRTR. SAVINI YASANAYAKERTR. HAFSA RIFAI
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