President Chief Guest at Sri Lanka Press Association 68th anniversary on 1 Nov.

• 10 media veterans to be felicitated
• ‘Sisira Wijesinghe Fund’ to debut, to support medical expenses of needy journalists

The 68th anniversary convention of the Sri Lanka Press Association (SLPA) will be held on 1 November at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The convention will facilitate 10 media veterans including Karunaratne Amarasinghe, Pushpa Rowell, Mohamed Thajudeen, Kamal Liyanaarachchi, Lambert Pemmawadu, S. Ganeshan, Christopher Kamalendran, Tiyulin Jayaratne and Pushpakumara Mathugama. President Wickremesinghe’s own brother, veteran broadcaster Shan Wickremesinghe will also be facilitated at the event. 

The convention will also see the launch of several important initiatives for the future of journalists. One of the standout features of this event is the creation of the ‘Sisira Wijesinghe Fund’ aimed at aiding the well-being of media professionals by offering support for their medical requirements and other forms of assistance. In addition, there will be the introduction of the ‘Dr. Andra Danapala Writership Fund’ which has been designed to nurture emerging writers through academic support.

The occasion will also signify the inauguration of the new SLPA headquarters, providing a space for media personnel to convene and share their insights on the industry.

Senior Professor Sandagomi Coperahewa, a distinguished educator at the University of Colombo, will present the keynote speech. 

The anniversary ceremony will see the participation of notable individuals including the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay, Minister of Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardana, diplomats, media personnel and others.