The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of the Tenth Parliament met on Nov. 03 for the first time under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at Parliament. 

Deputy Chairpersons of Committees, Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, and the Secretary to the Caucus and the Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera were also present at the Caucus meeting held.
During the meeting, Minister of Women and Child Affairs – Saroja Savithri Paulraj was elected as the new Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus. Her name was proposed by Samanmalee Gunasingha and was seconded by Anushka Thilakarathne.

Additionally, two Deputy Co-Chairs were elected. The name of MP Chamindrani Bandara Kirielle was proposed by MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna and was seconded by MP Thushari Jayasingha. MP Samanmalee Gunasingha was also elected as a Deputy Co-Chair, following her name being proposed by MP Krishnan Kaleichelvi and was seconded by MP Deepthi Wasalage.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, addressing everyone present, emphasized the significant achievement of having a noteworthy percentage of women elected to Parliament by public vote. The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of conducting the activities of the Caucus beyond political ideologies and fostering a collaborative spirit.

Chairperson Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj expressed her aspirations for the Caucus, underscoring the vision of creating a nation where every woman feels safe and secure. The Caucus also decided to establish a subcommittee, led by the two Deputy Co-Chairs, to review and report on future programs and initiatives. Additionally, upon a proposal by Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, it was decided to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on December 6.

The Sri Lanka Air Force has bought back question papers of the G.C.E Advanced Level Examination, which were previously distributed to exam centres in the Northern region.

The measure was taken in view of the prevailing inclement weather.  

The papers were airlifted from exam centres in Delft, Welladi and Nagadeepa and delivered to the Education Ministry in the Northern Province.

(Pics : dailynews.lk)

The Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka hosted a traditional Japanese musical concert at its premises on Nov. 26.

This special event celebrated traditional Japanese music, showcasing the incredible talents of two renowned Japanese musicians, Mr. Shogo Hiyoshi and Mr. Koga Michio.
Mr. Hiyoshi captivated the audience with his mastery of the koto and sangen, while Mr. Koga mesmerized everyone with the soulful melodies of the shakuhachi. The harmonious blend of these traditional instruments provided a rare and authentic experience of Japan’s rich musical heritage.

This event not only promoted cultural exchange between Japan and Sri Lanka but also strengthened the strong bilateral ties between the two nations, the embassy adds.

The musicians

Mr. Hiyoshi Shogo is a master of the Ikuta-ryu school of koto and sangen music. Today he plays both koto and sangen. In addition, he plays the kokyu, a Japanese 3-stringed bowed instrument, and the Heike-biwa, which is believed to be an ancestor of the sangen.

He has been a guest lecturer at Tokyo University of the Arts since 2023. He has performed overseas, with his international debut in Reykjavik, Iceland in 2009, followed by Italy, France, Switzerland, Poland and so on.

Mr. Koga Michio is the former chairman of Metatechno Inc., the parent company of LNBTI.

Koga Michio started learning shakuhachi almost 50 years ago at Kochiku-kai, a shakuhachi club at Waseda University. He received his stage name, Chikusuke, when he achieved the status of master of the Kinko-ryu shakuhachi school ten years ago.