Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
Tuesday Dec 23, 2025
Tuesday, 23 December 2025 01:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The HSBC Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival has announced the third edition of its Future Writers Program, reaffirming its commitment to nurturing the next generation of Sri Lankan creative voices. This milestone comes as the program celebrates a significant achievement with its first edition winner Savin Edirisinghe having been awarded the prestigious 32nd Gratiaen Prize, becoming one of the youngest recipients of this celebrated award.
The Future Writers Program is a core focus of the festival, dedicated to nurturing the creative talent of young individuals. This competition underscores the festival’s commitment to fostering youth development and grooming the creative thinking of Sri Lanka’s next generation, enhancing its focus on empowering emerging voices, in line with the overall festival purpose of framing the soft power of Sri Lanka.
Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival Co-Founder and Creator Ajai Vir Singh said: “We look forward to Edition Three of the Future Writers Program as an extension of HSBC Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival. This initiative is not just about discovering talent; it’s about nurturing and fostering a literary legacy. This is an investment in the future of creativity, innovation, and cultural enrichment for Sri Lanka, in line with our overall purpose to frame literature as a soft power. We are thrilled to see the winner of our first edition, Savin, be awarded this accolade.”
HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives CEO Mark Surgenor added: “We congratulate Savin Edirisinghe on winning the Gratiaen Prize. Through the HSBC Literary and Arts Festival, now entering its 3rd year in Colombo, HSBC is supporting Sri Lanka’s creative future. The festival is an opportunity to nurture the next generation of storytellers and cultural leaders like Savin who will shape the nation’s literary landscape.”
Savin Edirisinghe, a Sri Lankan writer and storyteller, captured national attention when his debut collection, Kata Katha, won the 32nd Gratiaen Prize, the most prestigious annual literary award recognising the best work of creative writing in Sri Lanka. The award-winning author will also join this year’s panels at Edition 3 of the festival.
Highlighting his Gratiaen Prize and being the winner of the Future Writers Program at the HSBC Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival Savin Edirisinghe said: “I am deeply honoured to have received the Gratiaen Prize, one of the highest levels of awards in the literary world in Sri Lanka. Winning the Future Writers Program supported me with invaluable mentorship that helped shape my journey as a writer. I wish the Future Writers this year all the best.”
The HSBC Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival is set to return for its third edition from 13–15 February 2026. With over 200 participants to date, the third edition of The Future Writers Program will be announced at the Festival for all young literary enthusiasts.
