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The Colombo Toastmasters Club conducted a two day residential leadership workshop titled ‘Awaken the Leader Within’ on 9 and 10 March at MIMT, MAS Fabric Park, Kurunegala Road, Thulhiriya. Over 20 members of the club participated at this special residential leadership workshop. The main objective of the workshop was to enhance the leadership skills of its members for future leadership positions in the club as well as their workplaces.
A strategic plan for the Club for the next five years and updates to align the club’s popular and unique speechcraft programmes to the modern day needs of corporates was discussed and finalised as well. The club will introduce the revamped speechcraft programme to the companies from March 2013.
The classroom sessions were conducted by six past presidents of the club, namely: International Director DTM Arunasalam Balraj, Professional Trainer & ATM Haleem Ghouse, Lieutenant Governor Marketing – District 82 Yusuf Jeevunjee, ACS, CL, Professional Trainer & Lecturer CTM Niranjan De Silva, Professional Trainer Yukthi Gunasekera, CC, CL, and Professional Trainer and Lecturer Hussain Moosajee, CC, CL. In addition, the workshop included several outdoor training activities which were conducted by the CEO of Trikonsult & Task Adventure, Professional Trainer & Past President Ajith Bopitiya, CC, CL.
The workshop sessions were followed by an evening of fellowship and guitar music by one of the club’s members TM Samandika Saparamadu. The latent musical talents of many members were brought out in camaraderie and fellowship, around a sunset camp fire.
The Colombo Toastmasters Club is the first toastmasters club to be founded in the South Asian region, encompassing Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Since its inception in 1984, the club has not only lived up to its promise of being a training ground for fledgling leaders to sharpen their public speaking skills in English but also their leadership skills. The club has provided yeomen service to uplift the English public speaking skills of Sri Lankans as well as being the leader in the accelerated growth of the Toastmasters’ movement in Sri Lanka & India.
The Colombo Toastmasters Club counts among its alumni and current membership, many distinguished members of society. The club’s community outreach programmes – the Youth Leadership Programme and the Speechcraft Programme – have unleashed the communication and leadership skills of more than 1,500 high school students and corporate executives.
In making such contributions to Sri Lanka’s progress, the Colombo Toastmasters Club has become truly a national asset over the last 29 years.