VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 "A reader lives a thousand lives beforehe dies " - George R.R Martin "A reader lives a thousand lives beforehe dies " - George R.R Martin T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F L E O C L U B O F U N I V E R S I T Y O F C O L O M B O A PUBLICATION BY LEO CLUB OF UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO LEO DISTRICT 306 C1, SRI LANKA
IN THIS ISSUE TRUST THE MAGIC OF NEW BEGINNINGS INSPIRATION TO THE FUTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEAR HISTORY OF UOC LEOS THIMIRA WITH UOC LEOS AN EYE ON THE WORLD MAP GROUND BREAKERS: සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා TALENT ZONE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 04 -QUALITY EDUCATION ඇසළ පෙ රහැ රේ වේ ශ නිරූපණය EDITOR’S NOTE EDITORIAL CORNER 01 02 07 09 10 12 14 15 19 22 23 24
Warren G. Bennis once said, "Leadership is the ability to transform vision into reality." Embarking on the journey to transform this vision into tangible reality, we, as UOC Leos, stand poised at the threshold of a vibrant new era, ready to infuse it with our passion and dedication. Under the guidance of our new leadership, we are poised and ready to enthusiastically embrace and bring to life a deeply meaningful social mission, proudly representing the renowned Leo Club of University of Colombo. We hope to channel the boundless energy and enthusiasm of the youth toward effectively addressing pressing social needs. With an unwavering commitment to create positive changes, we are resolutely dedicated to leverage emerging opportunities that come our way. Stepping into this new era, our aspiration is to represent a harmonious collaboration driven by the adeptness of youth leadership, simultaneously working to fortify the capabilities of the upcoming generation. IGNITE THE SPARK OF SERVICE ! Leo Harshi Liyanage OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 TRUST THE MAGIC OF NEW BEGINNINGS.. 01
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Leo Haritha Vimukthi I guarantee that, anyone who can be an active and engaging Leo member of Leo Club of University of Colombo will definitely get multiple opportunities to develop their soft skills such as leadership, communication, time management, team work etc. and to add a set of valuable experiences in their lives. Thus, I invite you all to use the upcoming Leoistic year 2023/24 to add that value to your life and make a good set of memories. Extending my warm wishes to the appointed Executive Committee and all the Regime Members to make a successful Leoistic year and be able to render many more valuable services to the society. Inspiration TO THE FUTURE I'm incredibly proud of and grateful for my time serving as the Club President at the Leo Club of University of Colombo. As I hand over the reins to the new Executive Committee, I'm excited for what lies ahead. The theme for the upcoming year, "Ignite the Spark of Service," underscores our commitment to community impact. To the new leaders, I urge you to approach your roles with unwavering dedication and innovative thinking. Our slogan of last year, "Legacy with Pride and Lead," has guided our actions and achievements, and now it's your turn to carry it forward. Immediate Past Club President of Leo Club of University of Colombo I'm confident that you will rise to the occasion, building upon the foundation we've laid. The Leo Club of University of Colombo has always been a beacon of excellence within Leo District 306 C1 and Sri Lanka, and I have no doubt that you will continue this legacy with enthusiasm. Remember, you have the support of the entire Leo family as you embark on this journey. Let your actions inspire others to contribute to the betterment of society, igniting a positive change that will shape the future. Leo Himesh Tharuka Club 1st Vice President 2022/23 As the former 1st vice president of the Leo Club of University of Colombo in the Leoistic year 2022/23, I’m privileged to add many values to my life. 02
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Leo Vidura Kalu Arachchi As the Club secretary, I was able to implement a few innovative administration initiatives with the immense support given by my executive committee and the regime. Finally, we were able to become the Most Outstanding Club administration award in the Leo district 306 C1 and to win the 1st runner up for Most Outstanding Club Administration award in the Leo Multiple District 306, Sri Lanka & Maldives. Also, I was able to receive the 1st runners up title for the Most Outstanding Club Secretary in the District . Inspiration TO THE FUTURE As we embark on this new Leoistic year, I reflect on my journey as the 2nd Vice President of the Leo Club of the University of Colombo. Over the past three years, I've come to appreciate the trinity of Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity that forms the core of Leoism. Participating in Leo is not merely about project work; it is a path of personal growth, fostering friendships and connections, and discovering a deeper sense of self through service to others. The joy of contributing to society is unparalleled, and it imbues us with a tranquillity of mind, knowing that our efforts have made a difference. Club 2nd Vice President 2022/23 I warmly invite you to join the Leo Club. The new Leoistic year beckons us with a promise of growth, development, and the opportunity to make a difference. Let us seize it with both hands. Leo Methma Athauda Club Secretary 2022/23 As I step back from my role as the Immediate Past Club Secretary of Leo Club of University of Colombo, I'm filled with pride and gratitude. Handing over the mantle to the new Executive Committee, I'm excited for what lies ahead. Our legacy, encapsulated in last year's motto "Legacy with Pride and Lead" , guided our actions and achievements. Now, it's your turn to carry this torch. 03
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Wishing the newly elected Exco and the Regime Member for a successful year ahead. Leo Udeshika Ganegoda Inspiration TO THE FUTURE As I reflect upon my role as the Club Assistant Secretary of Leo Club of University of Colombo for the Leoistic year 2022/23, my heart swells with pride for all that we achieved. Esteemed as one of the most prestigious clubs within both the university and the broader Sri Lankan Leo movement, our club stands as a testament to dedication and excellence. Over the past year, we undertook a remarkable journey, leaving an indelible mark by extending our helping hand to diverse communities across our nation and leaving a positive impact. Furthermore, we paved a luminous path for our cherished undergraduates, nurturing their growth and self-discovery. I extend my heartfelt well-wishes to the new Executive Committee, Regime, and the members embarking upon a new chapter. May your journey be paved with success and fulfilment, and may you elevate this club to even greater heights, carrying forward the torch we ignited. Here's to a year of continued excellence and growth! Club Assistant Secretary 2022/23 Leo Ayeshika Nawanjani Club Assistant Secretary 2022/23 If you want to learn something positive by gaining wholesome experience and making lots of memories in university,Make the choice to join the Leo Club of University of Colombo. You will cherish this extraordinary experience for the rest of your life. Leo Thilina Bandara Club Treasurer 2022/23 First, let's explore the acronym LEO. The "L" stands for Leadership, the "E" stands for Experience, and finally, the "O" represents Opportunity. This encapsulates the fundamental essence of a Leo moment. 04
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Leoism is filled with gratitude and excitement as we embark on a new Leoistic year. With unwavering enthusiasm, I extend my heartfelt wishes to the incoming regime and its dedicated members. May this year be a tapestry of success woven by your passion, dedication, and tireless efforts. To the incoming leaders, we entrust the responsibility of steering the ship of Leoism toward the shores of progress. As you take the helm, remember that you hold the power to inspire positive changes and create a lasting impact in our communities. Embrace challenges as opportunities, and let teamwork be your guiding light. Let your actions be a beacon of service, kindness, and unity, fostering a stronger leoistic family. Together, let's rise above, empower, and shine, making this year one of remarkable achievements and boundless growth. Here's to a year of purpose, progress, and prosperity for Leoism! Inspiration TO THE FUTURE In my perspective, this platform has the potential to create a mutually beneficial situation for both communities and individuals engaging with Leoism. Moreover, I believe Leoism also function to actively seek and develop skills. Numerous opportunities await us to demonstrate and amplify our abilities, thereby evolving us into an improved version that might remain undiscovered otherwise. As a conclusion, what I want to say is that challenges may arise, but within them opportunities come your way for growth and innovation. Let's face adversity with unwavering determination, for it is in these moments that we discover the depths of our resilience and ingenuity. Leo Shehan De Mel Club Assistant Treasurer 2022/23 05
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Congratulations on your new leadership role within the Leo Club! Your dedication and enthusiasm are truly inspiring. As you embark on this journey, remember that your commitment to service and community will guide you toward impactful endorsements and a brighter future. Best wishes for a successful and fulfilling term. Inspiration TO THE FUTURE Leo Janith Chathurka Club Assistant Treasurer 2022/23 06
P A S T Y E A R OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”- Lionel Hampton Leo Club of University of Colombo is about to start the Leoistic year 2023/24 and it is very grateful to remember our immediate past Leoistic year 2022/23. Anyone accept that Leoistic year 2022/23 of Leo Club of University of Colombo is such a wonderful Leoistic year with many memories and achievements highlighting the 2022/23 club theme “Legacy with Pride and Lead” under the presidentship of Leo Haritha Vimukthi with the support of the Executive Committee, Regime and the Club members. The spreading Leoism of UOC Leos is based upon various club projects that are associated throughout Sri Lanka. Therefore in the 2022/23 Leoistic year 35 of total projects with 72 phases under 29 various categories were accomplished. Participating and partnering in district-based projects, interdistrict joint projects and international projects were also conducted during this remarkable year. First initiation of the projects with the blessing from the "Leo Ashirvada Pooja 22" and the 8th Annual Leo Club Orientation “Elysium”, which was successfully carried out to give the basic club members induction. With the installation of the club regime from the 8th Annual Installation Ceremony of Leo Club of the University of Colombo, the official work was stablished for the Leoistic year 22/23. After a long break from online projects due to the pandemic situation in the country, Leoistic year 22/23 was able to continue physical service projects by giving the chances to participate more actively and organize them. During the 18th Annual Mid-Year Conference, Leo Club of University Colombo was recognized as among the top 10 Leo Clubs in the mid-year review marking their performance level at high standards. The "UOC Leos" Club website was officially relaunched by Lion Dhanushka Sandanayaka MAF with the scope of more developed broadening media towards community services and informing the community. The official Facebook page reached 15,000 likes, LinkedIn reached 1000 followers and other social media also reached more followers. 07
P A S T Y E A R OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE In memory of the Leoistic year 2022/23, it was a successful year with many good experiences while expressing Leadership, Experience and Opportunity; the pillars of making a Leo. In the word of honour of ‘Legacy with Pride and Lead’ and their Leoism of Leo Club of University of Colombo highlighted their peak performances at the 18th Annual District Conference 306 C1 becoming Winners for The Most Outstanding Service Projects under different categories including “Nisagini 5.0”, “Sureki Hetak 6.0”, “Alert 6.0”, “Mathin thora Hetak 6.0”, “Rang dey”, “Plant a hope 5.0”, “Kruthaguna 5.0”, “One drop 5.0”, “Manusath Wiyamana”, “Lead C1”, “Elation 2023” interdistrict project, “Diyani 6.0”, “Sahurda Yathra 4.0”, “Be Their Vision 7.0” and 1st Runner Ups in Membership Directory, “Thirasara 4.0”, “Sidu Nala Raksha 6.0”, “Diabcure 5.0”, “Survival 5.0”, “Arogya 5.0” and 2nd Runner Ups in “Purawara Sarasavi Soorya Mangalyaya”, “Prarthana 5.0”. “Alert 6.0” was the most outstanding service project of the year. Not only for projects but also appreciating the club performances as 2nd Runner Up Most Outstanding Club President, 1st Runner Up in Most Outstanding Club Secretary, Winner of Most Outstanding Club Treasurer, Leo Scholar, Leo Executive and District President Appreciation Awards were also received by the past regime members. As a club, Winner of the Best Participated Leo Club in the District, Best Leo Club Newsletter of Leo District 306 C1, Best Leo Club Directory, 1st Runner-Up for the Leo Club with Best Social Media Presence, 1st Runner up Best Leo Club Website, Best Administered Leo Club are the main achievements. Recognized as the Most Outstanding University/Institute based Leo Club and the Most Outstanding Leo Club of Leo District 306 C1 were the most special awards in appreciation of the work done by Leo Club of University of Colombo. Leo Lahiru Gamage 08
Leo Nimesh Jayasinghe Charter President Leo Nipuna Sandaruwan Club President 2020/21 Leo Tharindu Jayasinghe Club President 2017/18 Leo Lion Sandun Perera Club President 2019/20 Leo Lalanka Samarakoon Club President 2021/22 The actions of the past club presidents of Leo Club of University of Colombo, inspired others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more. OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 H I S T O R Y O F U O C L E O S . . . Leo Migara Dinendra Club President 2016/17 Leo Isuri Kotuwewatta Club President 2018/19 Leo Haritha Vimukthi Club President 2022/23 09
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 1.Recognizing as Leo of the International is one of the proudest moments for you. Can you tell us a little about your journey to the award and how you got there? Moreover, who were your main supporters of the process? Leo of the International is the highest recognition that a Leo can ever get. It was one of the proudest moments in my life. The highest and most active participation in the Leo movement activities is considered in awarding this award. I started Leo in 2015 and since that day I have taken the opportunity to participate and be involved in many Leo activities. Thus, I had a clear idea about what Leoism is about. Moreover, there are many supporters who helped me to achieve this because the process of being recognized as the Leo of the International is a long process. We have interviews from last year December. Especially, I would like to thank the Immediate District President of Leo District 306 C1, Leo Kojitha Gamlath. Moreover, the support given by Leo Bhanuka, Lion Dhanushka, and Leo Thilina is incredible. These are the ones who are behind the success of the vision plan of our Leo District last year. This award is the best example of “Hard Work Pays Off”. 2.As the District President of Leo District 306 C1, what are your main year plans for the Leoistic Year 2023/24? My main target is to strengthen the leadership pipeline for the next few years because THIMIRA WITH UOC LEOS leadership qualities are enhanced through experiences. For instance, if we take Leo Club of University of Colombo, there are only a few members with more than two years of experience. Consequently, we need to build a generation with a wide experience by giving them a wider exposure and giving them proper guidance to achieve greater heights. With that as the main target, we are planning to conduct many programs. Furthermore, we are organizing the events to build up a fellowship as well. The most upcoming project for the year is the District T-Shirt and we have planned to have a council meeting at Trincomalee for the first time to strengthen the fellowship with our Leo members. 3.What do you love the most about Leo and according to your point of view what isthe true essence of Leoism? My favourite thing about the Leo movement is that someone can come and do something freely here. That means a person can put out their ideas in a creative way. It is quite difficult to do it in the same way in the school as well as at the corporate level. But I am right if I say that the Leo platform is the best 10
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 place for it. The idea presented by a person may be right or wrong, but being able to express those ideas properly and deliver something freely according to one's capacity is a great opportunity. The other thing is that when we do something, we should do it happily and it is also important to have a close group of people who support us for that. So, in my Leo journey, I was able to build life-long friends that I can associate with very closely in my life. So, Leo is a better place to build good relationships with each other. 4.Being a Leo surely helps one to grow. Were there such valuable experiences in your journey when you were glad to be a member of the Leo family? I have gained a lot of valuable experience in this Leoism. If we talk about a few of them, we can learn a lot about the structure like how we deal with someone higher in the hierarchy than us, what are their skills, and how they do a certain task successfully. However, during this Leo journey, we have many opportunities to deal with Lions. If we consider them, their generation and age, the way they think may be different from us. Accordingly, I think it is a great experience to learn how to cooperate with them. And the other thing is that this is a good opportunity to learn a lot of things related to administration, which means that from the point of grafting a mail, making a proposal, and THIMIRA WITH UOC LEOS finally going to the end result, you can learn a lot of things related to administration in this process. That is a good advantage for all of us. Also, while going forward in this Leo journey, there are many things to learn, mostly selflearning. So Leo is a good place to experience how to do something new. So, every one of these experiences is valuable in my life. 5. If you were to give a piece of advice to future Leos, what would it be? Everyone who comes to Leo is in the best time of their life. While we are moving forward little by little, it will take a considerable amount of time. Therefore, in this movement, if you do not add something valuable to your life, that time will be damned. So, with my experience my advice is, do not be a part of the Leo club only to serve others but by being a member make sure to gain something to your life and develop yourself while engaging in social service and club activities as well. And the other most important thing is to enjoy everything you do on this journey. So, lastly, I have to say to the future Leos, do something to improve yourself in this movement and enjoy this journey. Leo Vinodya Dulanjani Leo Ovini Gunatilake 11
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 ANEYEONTHE WORLDMAP Historic FIFA Women’s World Cup Final ends with Spain’s win over England After 63 games, magnificent goals and agonising penalty shootouts, Spain was crowned champions in Sydney's Stadium Australia, on August 20th, 2023, defeating England, 1-0. The Spanish took the lead with a great strike from Captain Olga Carmona who drove into the England penalty area and hit a hard and low shot into the bottom left corner. Spain's Jennifer Hermoso also had a penalty saved by the English goalkeeper Mary Earps in the second half. Spain, a first-time winner, joined previous champions the United States (1991, 1999, 2015, 2019), Norway (1995), Germany (2003, 2007) and Japan (2011) in this elite club, with this fantastic victory. The past year has seen plenty of controversy surrounding the Spain Women’s national team, but in the end, they leave Australia and New Zealand with their first World Cup title. Barbie hits $1bn, breaking records for female directors "Barbie has answered the billion-dollar question with a resounding "yes"In just three weeks in theatres, Barbie is set to sail past $1 billion in global ticket sales. Greta Gerwig, who directed and co-wrote Barbie, makes history as the Margot Robbie-led and produced film has been comfortably seated in first place for three weeks and it’s hardly finished yet. This makes Gerwig the first solo female director with a billion-dollar movie, even surpassing Wonder Woman's $821.8 million global total. Warner Bros. co-chairs and chief executives also praised Gerwig, saying that the milestone, "is a testament to her brilliance and to her commitment to deliver a movie that Barbie fans of every age want to see on the big screen". 12
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 ANEYEONTHE WORLDMAP that razed a Hawaiian town, on the 8th of August, 2023, where desperate residents jumped into the ocean in a bid to escape the fast-moving flames. Lahaina, which is a historic town on the western tip of Maui was "almost totally burnt to the ground", and Maui's hospital system has been overwhelmed with burn patients and people suffering from smoke inhalation. Officials said that at least 36 people have been killed, dozens more were injured, around 2,100 people have been displaced, and more than 271 structures were damaged or destroyed. While wildfires are not unusual in Hawaii, experts say climate change has increased the likelihood of severe events. A Historic Moment for Father-Daughter Duo After Piloting a Flight Together Brian and Becky Morgan, from Colchester, England, who are both pilots at Jet2.com, flew together on a commercial flight from London Stansted Airport to Tenerife. The pair said it was an experience they would ‘cherish’ forever. Becky, who realised her dream of dominating the sky after witnessing her father become a pilot, followed in his footsteps and completed the airline's pilot apprentice scheme. 'The flight was momentous,' says Brian, who added that “it was fantastic to operate a flight with my daughter, Becky.” After this taste of flying a plane together, the pair are once again looking forward to taking to the skies on another route together in the future. Raging wildfires devastate the town of Lahaina on Hawaii'sisland of Maui ‘Utter devastation’ was left behind by a wildfire Leo Nuhaa Hameem 13
ලියෝ චමී ජයවික්රම කෙ තරම් දක්ෂ ක්රීඩකයෙ කු වුව ද සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා ඉතා නිහතමා නී ,මෘ දු ගතිගුණ වලින් හෙ බි අයෙ කු බව කා අතරත් ප්රකට කරුණකි. ඔහු සියලුම ක්රීඩකයන් හට මනා ආදර්ශයක් සපයයි. සෙ ලමන් වරක් මා ධ්ය යට පවසා තිබුණේ ඔහුගේ ස්ථා නය රැක ගැ නීමට අවශ්ය බැ වින් ඔහු මේ දින වල 2024 පැ රිස් ඔලිම්පික් ක්රීඩා තරගා වලිය පිළිබඳ අවධා නය යො මු කරන බවයි. සැ බැ වින්ම සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා නමැ ති මෙ ම ජවසම්පන්න තරුණයා ට ක්රීඩා ව තුළ යා මට තවත් දිගු ගමනක් ඇත. ඔහුගේ දක්ෂතා වය,කැ පවීම ඒ සඳහා ඔහුට මං පෙ ත් විවර කරනු ඇත. රූපවා හිනියක් හෝ රේ ඩියෝ වක් මිලට ගැ නීමට තරම් ආර්ථික තත්ත්වයක් නො තිබූ බැ වින් , කුඩා සෙ ලමන් හට ක්රීඩා ව හෝ ප්රසිද්ධ ක්රීඩකයන් පිළිබඳව දැ නුම ඉතා අල්ප විය. ඔහුට වරෙ ක පා සල නියෝ ජනය කරමින් කලා ප තරඟයකට සහභා ගි වීමට අවස්ථා ව උදා වූ අතර එය ඔහුගේ ජීවිතයේ හැ රවුම් ලක්ෂය බවට පත් වනු ඇතැ යි ඔහු සිහිනයකින් හෝ නො සිතන්නට ඇත.මෙ සේ ක්රීඩා වට අත්පො ත් තැ බූ සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා පසුකා ලීනව තම උපන් රටට ජා ත්ය න්තර තලයේ කීර්තීන් රැසක් හිමිකර දීමට සමත් විය. 2016 වසරේ පැ වති U16 ශූරතා වලියේ පිරිමි මීටර් 5000 ශූරතා වය දිනා ගනිමින් ,වයස අවු.16 දී නැ ගී එන ක්රීඩකයෙ කු ලෙ ස තම අනන්ය තා වය තහවුරු කිරීමට ඔහුට හැ කියා ව ලැ බිණි. එමෙ න්ම 2018 වර්ෂයේ ඩයමන්ඩ් ලීග් තරගා වලියේ මීටර් 5000 ශූරතා වය දිනා ගැ නීමට හැ කිවීම ඔහුගේ ජීවිතයේ තවත් වැ දගත් සන්ධිස්ථා නයක් විය. මෙ ලෙ ස ක්රම ක්රමයෙ න් ක්රීඩා ව තුළ දක්ෂතා පෙ න්වමින් ඉදිරියට පැ මිණි ඔහු 2020 ඔලිම්පික් තරගා වලියේ මීටර් 10,000 පිරිමි අං ශයෙ න් රන් පදක්කම සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා වර්ෂ 2000 ජනවා රි මස 20 වන දින ,ඉතියෝ පියා වේ ගුරා ජ් ප්රා න්තයේ ,ගො වි පවුලකට දා ව උපත ලැ බී ය. ගුරා ජ් ප්රා න්තයේ දරුවන් බො හෝ දෙ නා කුඩා වයසේ දීම තම පරම්පරා වෙ න් හිමිවන ගො විතැ න් කටයුතු වලට යො මු වුව ද ,සෙ ලමන්ගේ දෙ මා පියන්ට අවශ්ය වූයේ දුෂ්කරතා මධ්ය යේ වුව ද ,ඔහුට හො ඳ අධ්යා පනයක් ලබා දීම ය. OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 නො සැ ලෙ න අදිටනින් යුතු, නැ ගී එන ක්රීඩක සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා නො සැ ලෙ න අදිටනින් යුතු, නැ ගී එන ක්රීඩක සෙ ලමන් බරේ ගා හිමි කරගනිමින් මුලු ලෝකයේම අවධානය දිනා ගැනීමට සමත් විය. ඒ ඔලිම්පික් තරගාවලියකදී මීටර් 10,000 ඉසව්වේ ශූරතාවය දිනා ගත් සිව්වැනි ඉතියෝපියානු ජාතිකයා ලෙස ඉතිහාසයට එක්වෙමිනි. එමෙන්ම 2022 ලෝක ගෘහස්ථ ශූරතාවලියේ රන් පදක්කමට හිමිකම් කීමට ද ඔහුට හැකිවිය. 14
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 සවනට වැ කෙ න හුදෙ ක් අකුරු තුනක් පමණක් වුවද වදනක බලය කො තරම්ද යන්න කියා පා න දයා බර හිතවතිය ඇයයි අම්මා ..... දියෙ න් කිරි වෙ න් කරන හං ස ධේ නුවක සේ කා මරා ගයෙ න්, ධා රක ස්නේ හය වෙ න් කරන්නා වූ තන පුඩුවෙ න් වෑ හෙ න කිරට හැ රෙ න රුහිරු බිඳුවෙ න් බිළිඳුන් සනහන ළමැ දේ උකුලේ හො වමින් නිති රැකවරණ සලසන උත්තරීතර මා තෘ ත්වය කවි කරනු කෙ ලෙ සද..... සමා ජය කුරිරුයි, සල්ලා ලයින් එමටයි නො මඟ ගිය මවුන් හට දා ව උපදින බිළිඳුන්, මගතො ටේ අතැ ර ගිය පිණි පො දේ පණ ගැ හෙ න සිනිඳු කිරිකැ ටියන්, හදෙ හි දරා ..... අහිං සක පැ තුමක් කවියෙ න් මුමුණමි මෙ සේ ..... අවා රයේ මල් කැ කුළු නො පිපෙ න්න පින්වන්ත වේ වා ...... පරපුරක හීන පුරන උතුම් මා තෘ ත්වය කුරිරු සමා ජ හමුවක කසල සේ විසි නො වේ වා න්ය ෂ්ටික විස්තෘ ත ආදී කුටුම්භ මැ දි ගැ ටුම් හමුවේ දරු කැ කුළු අසරණ නො වේ වා ...... ලියෝ කුමුදු ලක්ශා නි සවනට වැ කෙ න හුදෙ ක් අකුරු තුනක් පමණක් වුවද වදනක බලය කො තරම්ද යන්න කියා පා න දයා බර හිතවතිය ඇයයි අම්මා ..... දියෙ න් කිරි වෙ න් කරන හං ස ධේ නුවක සේ කා මරා ගයෙ න්, ධා රක ස්නේ හය වෙ න් කරන්නා වූ තන පුඩුවෙ න් වෑ හෙ න කිරට හැ රෙ න රුහිරු බිඳුවෙ න් බිළිඳුන් සනහන ළමැ දේ උකුලේ හො වමින් නිති රැකවරණ සලසන උත්තරීතර මා තෘ ත්වය කවි කරනු කෙ ලෙ සද..... සමා ජය කුරිරුයි, සල්ලා ලයින් එමටයි නො මඟ ගිය මවුන් හට දා ව උපදින බිළිඳුන්, මගතො ටේ අතැ ර ගිය පිණි පො දේ පණ ගැ හෙ න සිනිඳු කිරිකැ ටියන්, හදෙ හි දරා ..... අහිං සක පැ තුමක් කවියෙ න් මුමුණමි මෙ සේ ..... අවා රයේ මල් කැ කුළු නො පිපෙ න්න පින්වන්ත වේ වා ...... පරපුරක හීන පුරන උතුම් මා තෘ ත්වය කුරිරු සමා ජ හමුවක කසල සේ විසි නො වේ වා න්ය ෂ්ටික විස්තෘ ත ආදී කුටුම්භ මැ දි ගැ ටුම් හමුවේ දරු කැ කුළු අසරණ නො වේ වා ...... අම්මා T LENT ZONE 15
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 ලියෝ ප්රභා ත් මො රගෙ පිටිය කත විකුණන්නට නො වේ ....... ඇය කියුවේ හඬ නගා දෑ සෙ කඳුළැ ල් පුරවා සිනහව අතරින් හඬ හඬා කඳුළ අතරින් සිනා සිසී මා විකිණීමට නො වේ මුදා හල සරදමේ යදමින් ඇය සැ නසෙ න්නෙ අමිල වටිනා කම සො යා ගත් එක් මිනිසෙ කුගේ නා මයෙ න් ඔහු වෙ නුවෙ න් ජීවිතය කැ පකරන්නට සූදා නම් බව දක්වන ප්රහශයයි ඒ ඇගෙ ඉකිබිඳුම....................................... ලියෝ භා ග්යා හිමා ෂා කා වින්දි සරසවිය විහගුන්ට අවැ සිය පියා පත් පියඹන්න දසත සිසා රා යන්න සැ නෙ කින් සො යා ගන්නට නො හැ කි තැ න පියා පත් ලබා දුන් මා යා පලස එය පා වෙ න්න සුවද පිරුණු මල් ගො මු අතරින් දුගද මඩ ගො හුරු පසුකරමින් පා වෙ න කල මා යා පලස හැ කිය දකින්නට රිදී නිම්නය ඈතින් අවැ සි විට සිනා සෙ න්න විටක වැ ටෙ න කදුලු පිසදන්න ලග රැදෙ න මැ ජික්කරුවන් පිරුණු පා රා දීසයකි නිවෙ න්න මිහිකත මත මා යා වන් කරනු වස් දසත විසිරුණු මැ ජික්කරුවන් මවමින් නිදහසේ සරන රිසියෙ න් පණ පෙ වූ මා යා භූමිය එය……………. ලියෝ මෙ ත්මා ලක්ශා නි අල්තිනා යි.... සිනා ඩැ හැ ගත් කඳුලු වල හුරුපුරුදු මුඩු සුවඳ අදත් අයිලයෙ න් දැ නුනෙ මි, නො ලී නො කී කතා හුඟකින් හිත බරකරන් අකුරු මඩුව නටඹුන්ව දුටුවෙ මි, හුරු හීත හිම මත නො ලී කතා නුහුරු වස්සා නයට ශේ ෂ නො කරමි, නමුදු; හදින් හැ ඳිනූ හදින් බැ ඳුනු පො ප්ලරයින් සෙ නෙ හෙ න් වෙ ලෙ නු දුටුවෙ මි, ඉතින්, නුඹ නැ වතී මා පිටමං කළ ඒ අතීතයේ හිඳ තවම, දුයිෂෙ න්, මං නුඹවම සො යමි.... T L ENT Z O N E 16
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 දෛ වය විසින් හේ තුවක් වෙ නුවෙ න් මුණගැ ස්වූ වෛ වර්ණ මිත්රවරුනි ... ඉඩෝ රයටත් වසන්තයටත් එකසේ ප්රේ ම කරන්නට මම ඔබෙ න් උගත්තෙ මි... ඉදින් ඔබ දුන් මතකවලට මා සදා ප්රේ ම කරන්නෙ මි... ඒ මතක තුල මා සදා ජීවත් වන්නෙ මි... මිත්රවරුනි .....❤️ ලියෝ නිරුශිකා වික්රමපා ල හේ තුවක් ද නො කියා ම නික්ම ගිය මිත්රවරුනි ... සැ පේ දී නැ තත් දුකේ දී ලගින් ඉන්න අතීතයේ දවසක ඔබ පො රො න්දු වූවා මට තා මත් මතකය... අපගේ අවසා නම සං වා දය හමා ර කො ට කො තරම් කලක් ගතවී ඇත්දැ යි මම නො දනිමි... කෙ ටි පණිවිඩ නැ වතී ඇත... ඉරි දෙ ක නිල් පැ හැ වී තිබෙ නු පමණක් දැ කිය හැ කි විය... පිළිතුරක් නො ලබා ම හේ තුවක් නො දැ නම ඔබ අප වෙ න්වුණ තැ න සිට මම බො හෝ කලක් මග බලා සිටියෙ මි... කා ලයේ විවිධ ඉසව්වල අප ගතකල සුන්දර දවස්වල ,මිහිරිතම මතක පිරුණු තැ න්වල අදත් ඉදහිට අප මුණගැ සෙ න විට... පෙ ර කල කී මිහිරි සල්ලා ප,හිත පුරා කරක්ගහන මතකයන් අභියස හිත හීනියට රිදුම් දෙ ද්දී... ආගන්තුකයන් පරිද්දෙ න් අපි එකිනෙ කා හා සිනා සීමු... ඉදින් මම ස්තූතිවන්ත වන්නෙ මි තනිකම දරා ගන්නට ඉගැ න්වූවා ට... හදවත තුවා ල වී වේ දනා වෙ න් කෑ මො ර ගසද්දී හඬන්නට උරහිසක් දුන් මිත්රවරුනි... වෙ නස් සිතුවිලි දැ රීම පා පයක් දැ යි මම මගෙ න්ම විමසමින් යන විට,වෙ නස් නො වන්න යැ යි ඔබ කී හැ ටි මට තා මත් මතකය... මුළු හිතම රිදුම් දුන් දවස්වල පැ ය ගණන් ,වරු ගණන් ඔබ මා ව අසා සිටි හැ ටි... මා තුළ ඉකිගැ සූ ආත්මය ආදරණීයව උණුසුම්ව වැ ළඳගත් හැ ටි... මහපො ළව මත ජීවමා න වූ දෙ වියන් මම ඔබ තුලින් දුටුවෙ මි... කදුළු පසෙ කලා සිනා සෙ න්නට ඉගැ න්වූ මිත්රවරුනි ... හැ ම බා ධකයක්ම අභියස අත අත නො හැ රම "ඔබ සමග අප සිටිනවා " යි විශ්වා සය දුන් මිත්රවරුනි ... ඝන අන්ධකා රය මැ දත් දීප්තිමත්ව බබලන ,මියැ දෙ මින් යන හීනවලට පණ දෙ න එවන් වූ සුන්දර හදවත් ඇත්තනි... ඉදින් මා මා ලෙ සටම බා රගත්තා ට මා සදා ණයගැ ති වෙ මි... T L ENT Z O N E 17
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Photography by - Leo Yasanga Hewaliyanage T L E NT Z O N E 18
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), officially known as “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” is a set of seventeen aspirational “Global Goals” with 169 targets and 244 indicators between them by April 2017. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012. SDGs are a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political, and economic challenges facing our world. The SDGs replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which started a global effort in 2000 to tackle the indignity of poverty. The MDGs established measurable, universally agreed objectives for tackling extreme poverty and hunger, preventing deadly diseases, and expanding primary education to all children, among other development priorities (United Nations Development Programme, 2017). There are 17 SDGs, out of which SDG 4 is meant to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. All SDGs are equally important. However, the SDG 4 on quality education lay a strong foundation towards achie SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION TARGET -ving the other SDGs through enhancement of accountability of the respective stakeholders. A sound education system will facilitate the correct decision making process of a country in developing implementation strategies, allocating resources accordingly, as well as measuring the progress towards achieving sustainable development. SDG 4 includes 10 targets as follows as stipulated in the UNESCO Report; 4.1 Universal primary and secondary education By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. 4.2 Early childhood development and universal pre-primary education By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. 19
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 4.3 Equal access to technical/vocational and higher education By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. 4.4 Relevantskillsfor decent work By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. 4.5 Gender equality and inclusion By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations. 4.6 Universal youth literacy By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy. 4.7 Education for sustainable development and global citizenship By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION TARGET development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. In addition, there are three more targets addressing means of implementation of aforementioned seven targets( UNESCO SDG 4 – Education 2030 Relationship) 4.a Effective learning environments Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. This target addresses the need for adequate physical infrastructure and safe, inclusive environments that nurture learning for all, regardless of background or disability status. 4.b Scholarships Scholarships By 2030, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries. Scholarship programmes can play a vital role in providing opportunities for young people and adults who would otherwi 20
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 -se not be able to afford to continue their education. Where developed countries offer scholarships to students from developing countries, these should be structured to build the capability of the developing country. While the importance of scholarships is recognized, donor countries are encouraged to increase other forms of support to education. In line with the SDG4 -Education 2030 focus on equity, inclusion and quality, scholarships should be transparently targeted at young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. 4.c Teachers and educators By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States Teachers are the key to achieving all of the SDG4 targets, so this target is critical. It requires urgent attention, with a more immediate deadline, because the equity gap in education is exacerbated by the shortage and uneven distribution of professionally trained teachers, especially in disadvantaged areas. As teachers are a fundamental condition for guaranteeing quality education, teachers and educators should be empowered, adequately recruited and remunerated, motivated, professionally qualified, and supported within well-resourced, efficient and effectively governed systems. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION TARGET Statistics are needed to monitor progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. The SDG indicators show where the goals are being met and where they are not and focus our attention on the need for immediate action. References Department of Census and Statistics. (2017). Status of sustainable development goals indicators in Sri Lanka 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2023. (Statistics are needed to monitor progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. The SDG indicators show where the goals are being met and where they are not and focus our attention on need for immediate action. ) United Nations Statistics Division. 2017. “Tier Classification for Global SDG Indicators.” Retrieved May 12, 2017 (http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/). http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/PDF/p3 %20Concepts%20and%20Definitions.pdf Dr. D.V.K.P Senevirathne Senior Lecturer Department of Science & Technology Education Faculty of Education University of Colombo 21
ලියෝ ඔවිනි ගුණතිලක අවසා නයේ පළඳිනු ලැ බේ . මෙ යට උඩින් විශා ල රිදී බුබුලු තුනක් සවි කර ඇති අලියෙ කුගේ හො ඬයේ හැ ඩයට නිර්මා ණය කර ඇති රතු සහ කහ පටියක් වන ' ඉඟ හැ ඩය' බඳියි. ඉණේ සිට පහළට ඔවුන් සැ රසී සිටින සුදු පැ හැ ති යා ර හයක් දිගැ ති කො ටස 'උල් උඩය' ලෙ සින් හැ ඳින්වේ . රතු පැ හැ ති 'පො ත්පො ට' ඉණ වටේ ඔතන අතර රතු, කළු සහ කහ පැ හැ ති රිබන් වලින් දෙ පස මසා ඇති සුදු පැ හැ ති රෙ ද්දක් වන ‘දේ වල්ල’ අවසා නයේ පළඳිනු ලැ බේ . මෙ යට උඩින් විශා ල රිදී බුබුලු තුනක් සවි කර ඇති අලියෙ කුගේ හො ඬයේ හැ ඩයට නිර්මා ණය කර ඇති රතු සහ කහ පටියක් වන ' ඉඟ හැ ඩය' බඳියි. ඊට මදක් ඉහළින් රිදී බුබුලු ඔබ්බවා ඇති අඟල් තුනක් පළල ‘බුබුල් පටිය’ ඇත. 'සීලඹුව' සමඟ සම්බන්ධ වූ ඔවුන්ගේ වළලුකර 'ගෙ ජ්ජි' ඔවුුන් නර්තනයේ යෙ දෙ න විට ගැ හෙ න ශබ්දයක් ඇති කරයි. ඔවුන්ගේ හිස් කඳ මත හිරු, සඳු සහ තරු සං කේ තවත් කිරීම සඳහා රතු, සුදු සහ කළු මුතු අඩං ගු 'අවුල් හරය', වෙ ස් නර්තන ශිල්පීන් විසින් පලඳිනු ලැ බේ . 'බණ්ඩා වැ ල්හල්ල', නම් රිදී වළලු ඔවුන්ගේ අත්වල පළඳින අතර, ඔවුන්ගේ වීර පෙ නුම වැ ඩි දියුණු කිරීම සඳහා ඔවුහු 'දෙ විරල්', නම් රිදී තහඩු දෙ කක් පළඳිති. 'තො ඩු පා ත', නම් විශා ල කරා බු ඔවුන්ගේ දෙ කන් අලං කා ර කරන අතර 'කර පටිය' නම් රතු මා යිමක් සහිත මුතු ඔබ්බවන ලද කළු කරපටියක් ඔවුහු ගෙ ල වටා බඳිති. කරඬුවක හැ ඩය ගත් නර්තන ශිල්පියා ගේ 'ජටා ව' කො හො ඹ ලීයෙ න් නිමවා ඇති අතර 'ජටා පටිය' යා ර දෙ කක් පමණ දිග, ආකර්ෂණීය ලෙ ස නිර්මා ණය කර ජටා වට මැ හුම් කර ඇත්තකි. සූර්ය කිරණ තිරස් අතට විහිදෙ න බව හැ ඟවීම සඳහා ගිනිදැ ල් හතකින් නිර්මා ණය කර ඇති ‘පිනේ පා තය’ නළලේ ‘ජටා ව’ මතින් බඳිනු දක්නට ලැ බේ . OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 සෑ ම අගෝ ස්තු මා සයකම මහ පො ළො වේ දැ වැ න්තම ආගමික පෙ රහැ ර වන මහනුවර ඇසළ පෙ රහැ රේ විචිත්ර සං දර්ශනයන් තුළින් ඉතිහා සය නැ වත නැ වතත් පුනරා වර්තනය වේ . උඩරට නර්තනයේ උරුමය උපරිමයෙ න් රඟ දක්වන 'වෙ ස් නර්තන ශිල්පීහු' සියලුම නැ ටුම් කණ්ඩා යම් අතුරින් ඔවුන්ගේ කලා වට ආගමික අනුග්රහය ඇතිව ප්රවේ ශ වන අතර ආගමික ගෞ රවයෙ න් එය සලකති. විවිධ කො ටස් 16 කින් සමන්විත විචිත්රවත් ඇඳුමකින් සැ රසී වෙ ස් නර්තනකරුවෝ බො හෝ 'වන්නම්' ගා යනා කරමින් ශ්රී දන්තධා තූන්වහන්සේ හට ගෞ රව පිණිස නර්තනයේ යෙ දෙ ති. භා විතයේ නො මැ ති විට, ඔවුන්ගේ වෙ ස් නර්තන කට්ටලයන් කිසි විටෙ කත් නිවෙ ස්වල තබා නො ගන්නා අතර පන්සල්වල තැ න්පත් කරනු ලැ බේ . ඉණේ සිට පහළට ඔවුන් සැ රසී සිටින සුදු පැ හැ ති යා ර හයක් දිගැ ති කො ටස 'උල් උඩය' ලෙ සින් හැ ඳින්වේ . රතු පැ හැ ති 'පො ත්පො ට' ඉණ වටේ ඔතන අතර රතු, කළු සහ කහ පැ හැ ති රිබන් වලින් දෙ පස මසා ඇති සුදු පැ හැ ති රෙ ද්දක් වන ‘දේ වල්ල’ ඇසළ පෙරහැරේ වේශ නිරූපණය SERENDIB22
It is a privilege for me to begin by thanking the former Editorial Panel for their courageous actions and significant dedication to uphold the standard and improve the calibre of the Official Newsletter of Leo Club of University of Colombo, "Our Essence”. As a result of their utmost commitment, “Our Essence”, received recognition as the Most Outstanding Newsletter of Leo District 306 C1 of the Leoistic year 2022/23. Since our readers are our greatest asset, the Editorial Panel of Leo Club of University of Colombo works hard to provide readers with an exceptional reading experience. We ensure the turn of each page is a new door letting our readers into a new world. We are excited as we continue to grow and bring “Our Essence – Volume 6”. We sincerely hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it for you. Finally, I'd like to add that the Editorial Panel would be pleased to hear any recommendations you have for how we may improve on making the Newsletter better. OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 E D I T O R ' S NOTE Leo Ovini Gunatilake Head of Editorial Panel (Appointed) Editorial Panel Leo Club of University of Colombo 2022/23 23
OUR ESSENCE VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 Leo Chami Jayawickrama Leo Harshanie Liyanage Leo Janani Aloka Leo Lahiru Gamage Leo Eranda Alwis Leo Nuhaa Hameem Leo Theruwandi Edirisinghe Leo Vinodya Dulanjani EDITORIAL CORNER Head of Editorial Panel (Appointed) Leo Ovini Gunatilake Senior Editors (Appointed) Junior Editors (Appointed) Creative Designer (Appointed) Leo Dilshan Peiris 24
VOLUME 06 | ISSUE 01 A PUBLICATION BY LEO CLUB OF UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO LEO DISTRICT 306 C1, SRI LANKA