Sri Lanka Y’sdom Regional Convention today

Top left: Y’s Men International logo, bottom left R. O. Buell, the first Sri Lankan General Secretary of the Colombo YMCA, who introduced Y’sdom to Sri Lanka, at centre is former Governor General of Ceylon and the first Charter President of Y’s Mens Club of Colombo late Sir Oliver Goonetilleka, and at far right is the new Regional Director of Y’s Men International Sri Lanka (2020/’21) V Rajendran (former banker, Bank of Ceylon).

The premier association serving the Sri Lankan YMCA network and its communities will hold its triumphant 45th anniversary convention on Saturday August 29 in Colombo.

“Sri Lanka Y’s Men Region that now has a network of nine clubs across the country, functions under Y’s Men International. Our mission is to strive through active service to develop, encourage and provide leadership to build a better world. Our movement’s aim is very relevant, that is to acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right,” said YM V. Rajendran, Sri Lanka Regional Director on 26 August. “I invite all members of Y’sdom to join us on 29 August at Kingsbury Hotel where we shall hold the convention with proper COVID19 protocols” ex-banker YM Rajendran added.

The Y’s Men movement, one of the earliest global community service movements to commence in Sri Lanka, was introduced to the island (formerly Ceylon) by YM R. O. Buell, the then General Secretary of the Colombo YMCA, on his return to Sri Lanka after attending an International Convention in US in 1929. R. O. Buell was the first Sri Lankan General Secretary of the Colombo YMCA after a line of European General Secretaries. The first Y’s Men Club began functioning in 1929 in Colombo and was called Y’s Men’s Club of Colombo (YMCC, or popularly known as the Colombo Club). It still continues to function –and grow. 

The Colombo Club (ysmenscolombo.com) was chartered in December 1930 with former Governor General of Ceylon, late Sir Oliver Goonetilleka, as its Charter President with which Sri Lanka Y’sdom saw its official genesis. It was through the Colombo Club that the Y’sdom was introduced even to India. In India Y’sdom took root rapidly and as a result, the India-Sri Lanka Region came into being in 1946. In 1970-71 Y’s Man Kenneth Somanadar from YMCC became the Regional Director of the India/Ceylon Region. 

With the chartering of five more clubs – Kandy (July 1962), Moratuwa (March 1964), Ampara (1964), Jaffna (October 1971) and Badulla (1974), representations were made to International Headquarters for Sri Lanka to become a separate, own Region. Accordingly, at the International Convention in Atami, Japan in 1975, Sri Lanka became a Region of its own with YM Kenneth Somanader from the as the first Regional Director of Sri Lanka Region. 

The first Regional Convention of the Sri Lanka Region was held in Kandy in September 1976 with a large gathering of over 200 present. A number of well-recognised individuals thereafter took over the mantle of leadership of Lankan Y’sdom- Kenneth Somanader, Stanley Arnold, Wimsy Sinnathamby, Gladstone Thevadasan, Darrel Perera, Lanka Nesiah, Devane Perera, Ercon Godlieb, George Chinnathamby, Joseph Antonirajah, Jackie Ratnam, Clifford Ratnavibhushana, Jean Godlieb, Noreen Chinnathamby,         Hilary De Alwis, Elizabeth Dwight, Justin Perera, Rajinda Wijemanne, Ercon Godlieb, Darrel Perera, V. Manoharan, Ranjan Fernando, Lakshman Perera, Norman De Zilwa, Nilkantha Fernandopulle, Jayantha Fernando, Rita Hettiarachchi, Veraan de Mel, Felician Perera, Enrico Brown, Nihal Peiris, Michael Matthysz, Sarojini Nagendran, Rienzie Diaz, Anton Kandiah, Dushyanthi Latino, Prasantha de Silva, Ranaraj Serasinghe, and Godfrey Francis-some of whom have led the Sri Lanka region more than once. Sri Lanka Y’sdom also hosted the ninth Asia Area Convention in Colombo in July 1981 and is now bidding for Asia South Pacific Area Convention to be held in 2023, where a large number of global delegates are expected to take part. Previous conferences were held in many Asia Pacific cities including Sendai, Japan, and Chiangmai, Thailand. The 45th Convention will be graced by a very senior Y’s Men personality in Sri Lanka – PRD Anton Kandiah. 

Details on August 29’s 45th Regional Convention can be obtained from the web at srilankaysmen.org.