The America Sri Lanka Photographic Art Society Los Angeles (ASPAS) is honored to present the fifth annual “Beauty of Sri Lanka” Photographic Exhibition in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington, D.C., the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York, the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles, and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau in celebration of International Earth Day 2025. Exhibition Dates & Venues ❖ April 26, 2025 – Celebrity Centre International, Hollywood, Los Angeles ❖ April 29, 2025 – Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, New York ❖ May 3, 2025 – Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington, D.C. Exhibition Highlights ❖ Breathtaking landscapes ❖ Diverse flora and fauna ❖ Vibrant culture and traditions ❖ Rich heritage and arts ❖ Majestic seascapes ❖ UNESCO World Heritage Sites ReTree LA: Earth Day Restoration Drive As part of the
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The Sri Lanka Foundation Academy of Performing Arts (SLF APA) proudly commenced its 2025 academic year by warmly welcoming new students on January 26, 2025. The SLF APA was accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), in 2019. Since then, it has established itself as a globally recognized institution. Dedicated to fostering personal growth and cultural excellence, the academy invites prospective students to enroll in its vibrant programs in 2025. The inauguration ceremony was graced by the esteemed presence of Dr. Walter Jayasinghe, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Foundation, and his wife, Aeshea Jayasinghe. The academy’s Operational Director, Achala Weerasinghe, along with the academy’s teachers, current students, parents, and new enrollees, contributed to the colorful and inspiring event. Achala Weerasinghe delivered a heartfelt welcome address, expressing her excitement for the new academic year. Following her speech, Dr. Walter Jayasinghe and SLF APA
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The Sri Lanka Foundation Academy of Performing Arts (SLF APA) is delighted to announce its recent achievement: a six-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This accomplishment marks a significant milestone for the academy and highlights its dedication to delivering top-quality performing arts education and continuous school improvement. WASC awards six-year accreditation to institutions that demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting exceptional student learning outcomes. This recognition affirms that SLF APA not only meets but surpasses the standards for educational excellence, providing a vibrant and effective learning environment. The academy’s ongoing efforts to enhance its programs have earned it this prestigious distinction. Key contributors to this achievement included educators Nirosha Wijegunasekare and Akila Palipana from Sri Lanka, alongside Umendra Kahadawaarachchi from the USA, who played pivotal roles in the accreditation process. Operational Director Achala Weerasinghe provided critical insights into the academy’s operations, while Public Relations Director
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Join the Sri Lanka Foundation Academy of Performing Arts! Unleash your passion for Sri Lankan Traditional Dance, and Drumming! The Academy is opening its doors for the 2025 Registration Day on: 📅 Date: Sunday, January 12, 2025 ⏰ Time: 9:00 AM 📍 Location: 2010 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 600, Los Angeles, California, 90057 Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to be a part of a vibrant community that celebrates Sri Lankan arts and culture. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned performer, there’s a place for you here! 📌 Save the date and register to start your artistic journey! ✨ 👉 Check out the flyer for more details!
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Yasodhara Pathanjali is a British Sri Lankan and the founder of Independent Collective School (ICS), Sri Lanka’s first formal modern alternative school. Having opened its doors to its first batch of students in January 2024, Independent Collective School (ICS) is committed to providing a nurturing and inclusive environment that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity. The school aims to empower students to thrive in a fast-changing world while delivering a world-class education underpinned by the Cambridge Curriculum and Assessments. Yasodhara left the UK in 2016 for Sri Lanka and shifted her focus to creative areas, including paintings, designing, and writing children’s books. In 2018, she created Sri Lanka’s largest hand-painted mural in Colombo. Yasodhara covered the 17-foot wide by 64-foot long wall with a colorful and bright mural that took three months to complete. When asked how much planning went into creating this colorful wall, Yasodhara said she did not
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Professor Malik Peiris is the Chair of Virology in the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in China. He has been involved in multiple WHO and WOAH advisory Committees on COVID-19 and H5 Bird Flu (H5N1). He also served as Vice Chair of the influential WHO overarching Strategic Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards of epidemic and pandemic potential. He is currently working on H5 Bird Flu H5N1 and MERS coronavirus as potential future pandemic threats. In 2018 Professor Malik Peiris received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sri Lanka Foundation International for his groundbreaking research with a particular interest in newly emerging virus diseases at the animal-human interface and because he played a key role in identifying the novel coronavirus that caused SARS in 2003, contributing to its diagnosis and containment.  Since 2018 he has received the following Awards:  –
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Rowan Bandaranaike, M.D., is a dedicated and resilient individual who began his residency in Internal Medicine in Alabama. His journey to this milestone has been marked by perseverance, hard work, and the support of those around him, especially the team at J Med. SLF had the opportunity to speak with Rowan, and he said, “I would like to thank both of my parents Primal and Rashika Bandaranaike. I would not be where I am today without their sacrifices, support, and unconditional love. Through their courage, perseverance, and strength, I learned to follow my dreams and have faith in myself. Thank you for believing in me before I believed in myself. The love and encouragement of my parents have been my compass; they have guided me through every obstacle and achievement.” Rowan also thanked the J Med team and said, “John and his staff were very welcoming when I joined J
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Professor A.G Unil Perera, a Life Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), Society of Photo-Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) is a Regent’s Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Georgia State University (GSU). In 2012 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sri Lanka Foundation International for his research focus on developing novel multi-band, bias, and polarization selection photon detectors covering a wide range from Ultraviolet to Far Infrared (Terahertz). In 2014 Professor Unil was appointed Regents Professor of Physics and reappointed after 3 years and made a Permanent Regents Professor of Physics. In 2021, he was awarded the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Photonics Society Distinguished Lecturer Award renewed for the second year until 2022.More than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles out of 200+ and 10 (out of 14) US and other International Patents
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On Sunday, January 28, 2024, the Sri Lanka Foundation auditorium buzzed with anticipation and excitement as participants gathered for the “Awaken Your Inner Warrior” workshop. Hosted by the Sri Lanka Foundation Academy of Performing Arts, this event promised a journey into self-discovery, anti-aging techniques, stress release, mindfulness, and breathing exercises, led by the esteemed spiritual instructor Nadil Silva. Nadil Silva, a Sri Lankan native currently residing in Sweden, brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the workshop. With a BSc from the University of Peradeniya and an MSc from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Nadil’s academic background is as impressive as his practical expertise. He is actively engaged in martial arts and a respected figure in cultural mediation, combining these disciplines to offer a unique and holistic approach to spiritual instruction. The workshop began with a warm welcome from Achala Weerasinghe, the Operational Director of the Sri Lanka Foundation
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SLF had the privilege of speaking with Suriya Perera, the Founder, President, and CEO of the America Sri Lanka Photographic Art Society, Los Angeles (ASPAS). The ASPAS just completed its fourth annual photography exhibition, “The Beauty of Sri Lanka.” Suriya said one of his proudest achievements was showcasing his photography at the UCLA Grand Salon in Kerckhoff Hall on the 20th and 21st of April, with the assistance of the Consulate General, Dr Lalith Chandradasa. The exhibition continued its voyage to Sri Lanka’s permanent representative office to the United Nations in New York on April 25th and 26th, which was organized by Mohan Peiris, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Deputy Permanent Representative Sugeeshwara Gunarathna, who played an important role to landmark this exhibition. The presence of United Nations General Assembly President Dennis Francis as the chief guest emphasized the event’s international significance. Suriya proudly shared that nearly a
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