ML News

: ML News; 01 August 2025

“අකුර” 2024 - The closed hostel of R/B Nonperial Vivegananda College Balangoda, situated in Sri Lanka’s highest village, has been reopened—shedding light on the blossoming hopes of its students

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The අකුර Project, organized annually by the Chinese Language Association of the Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya, successfully provided dry food items to reopen the closed hostel of Nonperial Vivegananda College in Balangoda, situated at an altitude of about 1700 meters above sea level. This school, located in the village of Nonperial in Balangoda town in the Ratnapura district, is home to 12 teachers and 49 students.

The journey to this college, nestled in a breathtakingly beautiful environment, is a challenging one. It is a touching and heartfelt reality that many students at this college walk approximately 8 to 12 kilometers each day to attend school, as shared by the principal.

To support students coming from such distant areas, arrangements were made to establish a hostel within the college itself. However, due to ongoing hardships—particularly the lack of dry food items—it became difficult to maintain and operate the hostel.

Recognizing this need, the Chinese Language Association selected this college as the beneficiary of the අකුර Project. This initiative was carried out under the guidance of Senior Professor Venerable Nedalagamuwe Dhammadinna Thero, Dr. Jani Samarakoon, Senior Lecturer Sulochana Rathnayake, and other dedicated lecturers.

We received the heartfelt support and assistance of many individuals, which helped to make this project unexpectedly successful. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed.

Moving forward, we remain dedicated to uplifting the lives of students in underprivileged schools by continuing our support through the අකුර Project—an initiative devoted to providing essential supplies and nurturing hope for a brighter future.

: ML News; 10 March 2025

Hinamatsuri Festival in Japan

Hinamatsuri (ひな祭り) is a Japanese festival called Doll Festival or Girls’ Day, celebrated on March 3rd every year. It is a special day to wish for the health, happiness, and success of young girls.

To celebrate Hinamatsuri, a program was organized by the Japanese Unit of the Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya, in collaboration with Rupavahini Corporation, Sri Lanka.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the professor Dilrukshi Rathnayaka for her invaluable guidance.

: ML News; 20 February 2025

An insightful discussion with Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, the president of the Nippon foundation and Sasakawa foundation conducted by Prof. Dilrukshi Rathnayake

Summary of the Discussion of Prof. Dilrukshi Rathnayake and Mr.Yohei Sasakawa

Mr.Yohei Sasakawa, the current President of the Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation is known for his extensive social service work worldwide with a particular focus on Sri Lanka. He holds deep gratitude towards Sri Lanka as it was the first country to support Japan after World War II. He also appreciates Sri Lanka's support for Japan during challenging times such as the Tsunami disaster. Due to his profound respect and thankfulness he is now committed to supporting Sri Lanka with the hope of seeing it flourish and succeed in multiple ways.

During the discussion Mr. Sasakawa shared the reason behind his commitment to charity work. Having experienced the devastating effects of World War II, where thousands of people lost their lives and countless buildings were destroyed, he and his mother were fortunate to survive. Despite these challenges he and his mother were fortunate to survive. This experience inspired him to dedicate his life to helping others. Mr.Sasakawa emphasized that his charitable efforts are not influenced by religion, ethnicity, or nationality; his sole purpose is to assist people in overcoming their challenges.

A key objective of his work is to create a leprosy-free world. His significant contributions to global health have earned him the title of “Goodwill Ambassador” from the World Health Organization. In Sri Lanka, Mr.Sasakawa has made notable contributions to the education sector by building and reconstructing schools, particularly in the North-East region. He firmly believes that education is vital, as students are the future leaders of society. Additionally, Sasakawa admires the natural beauty of Sri Lanka and is eager to support the development of the country’s tourism sector while promoting Sri Lanka in Japan. He also highlighted the importance of fostering international relations and cultural exchange between Japan and Sri Lanka.

: ML News; 19 February 2025

Yasuragi 2024

The Japanese Unit of the University of Kelaniya, Department of Modern Languages, organized a special Japanese Day on the 1st of January 2025 to celebrate the Japanese New Year. The event was held at the university premises and brought together 60 students from the 1st year to the 4th year.

The day began with a hands-on activity where students made Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, under the guidance of Prof. Dilrukshi Rathnayake, Professor in Japanese, and Ms. Minami Munakata, Japanese Language Specialist. This was followed by an exciting lineup of traditional Japanese activities, including Kakizome (the first calligraphy of the year), Karuta (a traditional Japanese card game), and quizzes about Japanese culture.

For lunch, students enjoyed Japanese-style Obento (lunch boxes), giving them a taste of Japanese culinary traditions and adding to the cultural experience. The event was a wonderful opportunity for students to learn and experience Japanese traditions, fostering a deeper appreciation for Japanese culture while strengthening their connection with the language they study.