Table of Contents
Program Itinerary
Avurudu ! Paththandu ! A Background
Diplomat Biographies
Special Guests and Sister Organizations
Creative, Culture and Cuisine
Special Thanks
About Linden Circle Young Professionals, Meridian International Center
About the Young Professionals for International Cooperation the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area
Program
Registration and Art preview
Welcomes and Introductions o Michael Dumlao, United Nations Association o Palmer Shepherd, Meridian International
His Excellency, Ashley Wills, former U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka
His Excellency, Devinda R. Subasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka
Introduction of Special Guests
Background to Sri Lankan New Year o Sashi Selvendran, Young Professionals for International Cooperation
Banquet commences
Dancers
Background When the sun moves from Pisces to Aries, the Sinhalese Buddhists and Tamil Hindus of Sri Lanka come together to celebrate a common holiday – the Sri Lankan New Year, known as Avurudhu in Sinhalese, and Puththandu in Tamil. Celebrated for more than 2,500 years, this ancient holiday commemorates the celebration of the start of the new year based on the zodiac calendar, typically falling in mid-April, the month of Bak. This year the actual date was on April 13. One of the remaining authentic folk celebrations, Avurudhu and Paththandu stands as a monument to a people whose lives, to a large extent, still revolve around the grace of Mother Nature and her most domineering subject, the sun. In a period of conflict, the Sri Lankan New Year symbolizes ethnic harmony where two distinct ethnic groups celebrate one brand new day in the month of April.
The New Year also coincides with the time when the harvest ends - a sign of fertility - when trees bear fruit and flower bloom, so colorful fruit from lush trees are collected in bulk to fuel week-long celebrations. Festivities are prepared well in advance and most of the country grinds to a halt as hundreds travel home to be with their families and stores close down in their wake. In Sri Lanka, the government and commercial establishments are closed for a few days to enable workers to visit their ancestral homes in the distant villages.
Although there might be some slight variations in customs, the Sinhalese and the Tamils celebrate the same event and find amity in their beliefs. The real spirit of the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year is seen in the villages – as it is a festival focused on the harvest. The rituals begin with the cleaning of the house and lighting of an oil lamp, and women congregate to bash on the raban (drum) to warn others of the incipient change in the year. If you fail to hear this, a storm of firecrackers is bound to hammer the point home and the unmistakable call of the koel bird, popularly known as the koha which coos only once a year- at this time. Tamil families draw intricate patterns with colored sand on the ground in the front of their houses, called kolam.
Background continued The new year approaches with a pre-determined time for preparing the ceremonial first meal. Dressed in an item of new clothing, facing the auspicious direction, housewives prepare a dish of Kiribath from rice out of the year's first harvest of rice. Kiribath or milk rice , is the quintessential festive food of the Sinhalese; an unsweetened rice pudding cooked in cream of coconut and placed reverently at the head of the table, right next to an equally revered coconut oil lamp. The Tamils cook a similar dish consisting of sweetened milk rice with raisins and cashew nuts called Pongal. The whole family sits down together for the first meal, soon after symbolically exchanging money, referred to traditionally as ganudenu, or the act of receiving and giving. The time now is at its most auspicious. Children are instructed to read their books and adults will do some symbolic work in relation to their occupation. On New Year's Day, Sinhalese visit Buddhist temples and Tamils visit the Hindu temples to offer special prayers for happiness and prosperity in the coming year.
Once the traditional customs are observed, the partying really begins as families mingle in the streets, homes are thrown open and children are let out to play. The next day or two will mark the most joyous period of the year; playing, eating, drinking, merry making and visiting relatives and loved ones. The fun and frolic continues until the oil anointing ceremony , the auspicious time which falls roughly about three days after the Avurudhu and Paththandu. An adult member of the family prepares a special herbal oil and anoints the family members, with blessings for a wonderful year to come.
The renewal of human relationships is the most important of all the new year festivities. This is the chosen time of year where conflicts of the past are forgotten and the ties are reconstructed. For this reason, in a time of ceasefire, Avurudhu and Paththandu has become an important national holiday for both the Sinhalese Buddhist and the Tamil Hindu Sri Lankans, and is unique as such, as a time of unity and peace.
Biographies : H.E. Devinda R. Subasinghe
His Excellency Devinda R. Subasinghe was appointed Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States and Mexico on October 7th, 2002. Ambassador Subasinghe presented his credentials to President George W. Bush at the Oval Office on February 26, 2003.
He was Vice President with Florida based Raymond James Financial Inc., (NYSE: RJF) and responsible for developing their investment banking business in structured finance and international investment banking portfolio including debt and equity cross border lending with focus on Latin America (1999-2002).
He has had a very active 25 year international career from advising President J.R. Jayewardene and counseling President R. Premadasa (1977-1984) on international economic development and financial issues and US-Sri Lanka bilateral issues, to serving the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (1984-1995) in the Asia Pacific and Central and Eastern Europe advising on economic reform; industrial, trade, agricultural and environmental restructuring; private sector development; and foreign direct investment issues.
From 1995 to 1999, he advised the U.S. Government on foreign policy and economic development issues, as well as public and private corporations and equity funds on cross border/emerging market investments. He was Founder and CEO of Asia Insight 21 which specialized in consulting governments and corporations on trade and investment matters. With Deloitte & Touche Fantus Consulting (an industry leader in corporate location/foreign direct investment advisory services) and The Services Group (a privately held trade and investment advisory firm) he was responsible for mandates advising the United Nations, governments and corporations in the U.S., Asia, Europe, Middle East, Central and South America, Caribbean and Southern/South Africa on capital markets, trade liberalization, and investment mobilization.
His involvement in U.S.–Sri Lanka bilateral relations started with the Carter Administration and continues through the present Bush Administration. He has acted as advisor to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during his term as Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister.
Born in Sri Lanka, he was educated at the Royal College and the Sri Lanka Law College. He was a national swimmer, and this brought him to the U.S. to pursue higher education as an athlete/scholar. He completed a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University and a M.A. in International Economics at the School of Advanced International Studies at The John Hopkins University in Washington D.C.
He is a strong supporter of globalization and economic development and understands the risks and rewards of investment in emerging markets. He has published extensively on these issues in The Wall Street Journal, Corporate Location, World Investment Report of the United Nations, and The Asian Wall Street Journal among others. He has also addressed international conferences and audiences sponsored by agencies such as the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation, US AID, the Inter American Development Bank, Standard and Poors, Fannie Mae, Georgetown University, John Hopkins University, University of Tampa, University of South Florida, Eckerd College, The Heritage Foundation and the Center for International Private Enterprise.
Devinda and his wife Helga Wurzer-Subasinghe, who is an artist, have a son Oliver, a graduate of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Biographies: Ambassador Ashley Wills Ambassador Ashley Wills joined USTR as Assistant US Trade Representative on June 21, 2003. Prior to this appointment, he served for three years as United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and concurrently as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives. Ambassador Wills was confirmed by the United States Senate for these posts on September 8, 2000 and completed his Ambassadorial appointment in early June, 2003.
Ashley Wills served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge’ d’Affaires at the U.S. Mission in New Delhi, India from August 1997 until July 2000. From 1995 until 1997, he was Minister - Counselor for Public Affairs, also at the Embassy in New Delhi.
Ambassador Wills has been a Foreign Service Officer since 1972. Prior to India, he served in Brussels, Belgium; Belgrade, Yugoslavia; as head of South African Affairs at the State Department in Washington; as Deputy Director of the Office of International Visitors at the U.S. Information Agency; as Political Advisor to the Commander of U.S. Forces in Granada; in Bridgetown, Barbados; Durban, South Africa; and Bucharest, Romania. Ambassador Wills attended the State Department’s Senior Seminar in 1991 and 1992.
Ambassador Wills was born in Tennessee and raised in Mississippi and Georgia. He graduated with honors from the University of Virginia in 1971, and has a M.A. in Economics from John Hopkins University. He speaks Serbo- Croatian, French, Romanian, Persian (Farsi) and Zulu.
Ambassador Wills is married to Gina Mancusi Wills, a psychologist. They have two children, Zachary, who works on Wall Street, and Olivia, a university student.
David Cohen David Cohen, a retired Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Information Agency, served in Seoul and Taegu, Korea; Beijing and Shenyang, People's Republic of China; and Colombo, Sri Lanka. In addition, he was East Asia and Pacific Program Officer at USIA's Washington Foreign Press Center and for two years and was assigned to the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan for three years. He is currently a Program Officer at the U.S. Department of State.
Mr. Cohen earned B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from The Ohio State University. He entered the Foreign Service after an academic career in the fields of university-level Teaching English as a Foreign Language, English composition, and American literature. A Fulbright-Hays exchange teacher in Laos, he finished his academic career as a Fulbright Senior Lecturer in Sri Lanka after also working in Isfahan and Tehran, Iran.
Colleen Fleming Colleen Fleming is a Program Officer for the U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, International Visitor Program, Near East, North Africa South Asia Branch. The focus of her work is designing and overseeing professional programs for International Visitors traveling to the U.S. from South Asia. Before joining the State Department, she managed international exchange programs for the Institute of International Education (IIE). Other professional experience includes working as a school administrator and a teacher in an international school in Washington, DC and teaching English as a Foreign Language in Germany and for the Peace Corps in Chad. Ms. Fleming has lived, worked, studied, and traveled to numerous regions of the world. She has a Masters degree in International Communication and Education and a Bachelors degree in Communication and French. She speaks French, German and Spanish.
Special Guests
The following guests and organizations have graciously agreed to serve as experts on Sri Lankan affairs. They are identified by their name-tags (embassy staff – orange; other guests – pink). Please feel free to engage our experts throughout the evening and learn all you can about Sri Lanka’s history, culture and contemporary situation.
Embassy of Sri Lanka o Dhammika Semasinghe Sushi Mallawaarachchi, o Hinaya Jainoor visiting artist o Mercy Kalupahana o Shantha Premaratne U.S. Department of State o Dammika Ranatunga o David Cohen, retired o Colleen Fleming, Program The Elliot School of Officer International Affairs o Ashoka Bandarage* Voice of America (Hindi) o Jagdish Sarin, Chief Global Rights o Fanny Benedetti-Howell Woodrow Wilson Center o Miriam Ghalmi o Tara Ollapally Thomas World Affairs Council
International Club, DC World Vision o Sanjaya Hettihewa, President**
* Ashoka Bandarage is a Visting Scholar at the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and a professor at Mount Holyoke College in Massachussettes. She is the author of numerous publications including the books "Colonialism in Sri Lanka" (Mouton) and "Women, Population and Global Crisis" (Zed) and other publications on Sri Lanka, global political-economy and peace and security. Her most recent book will be examining the history of the conflict in Sri Lanka. She was a co-founder of the Sri Lanka Women's Dance Troupe in New York City.
** The International Club of DC is an organization by and for internationally-minded professionals who enjoy sharing cultural and social experiences while helping the community. The ICDC membership consists of over 6,500 professionals in Washington DC. www.InternationalClubDC.com
Creative, Culture, Cuisine
SUSHILA MALLAWAARACHCHI: Sushila's passion for art developed as a child living in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She moved to the United States to follow her dreams and pursue art in 1988. Sushila is a graduate of Corcoran College of Art and Design, Washington, DC. Her artistic depictions of Sri Lanka have been displayed in numerous galleries in the Washington, DC Area. She lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland and works as the Senior Graphic Designer of the Creative Services Department of the Food Marketing Institute in Washington, DC."
Rachel Aarthi Prem was born seven years ago in Maryland and joined KNS Indian dance school a little over a year ago. Her teacher, Guru Rani, with decades of teaching experience, almost instantly recognized the great sense of rhythm (talam) that this little girl displayed. Like most newly recruited children, she was excited in the beginning but her interest in dance kept increasing by each complex step that before long she was rehearsing difficult steps on her own. KNS accepts four and five year olds but it is only after the age of 9 or 10 that the student follows a strict curriculum and moves on to the intermediate level; however Rachel with her admirable grasping ability is already in that level.
Rachel is in the second grade at Gallaway Elementary School. Her favorite past-time is making friends and of course she loves playing with her younger sister and baby brother.
Joy of Motion Dance Troupe Dinusha Liyanawaduge, Sophomore, chemical engineering, Montgomery College, Rockville Yajna Maheswaran, Freshman, chemistry, Montgomery College, Rockville Kesha Maheswaran, Freshman, Kennedy High School, Wheaton, Shelom Sanders, Freshman, interior design, Montgomery college, Rockville Hafsa Miskin, Freshman, accounting, Montgomery College, Rockville
For your next cup of tea.....order from.... Cuisine provided generously by ~ Tea Lanka ~ Fresh from the tea gardens of Ceylon to your door step !! Contact - Ann @ 240 401 7422 or Spice Lanka [email protected] (301) 216- 2238 Redland Center, Derwood, MD
Thank you!
The Linden Circle Young Professionals and the Young Professionals for International Cooperation, Asian Affairs Committee would like to extend their gratitude to the following people and organizations for their steadfast commitment and generosity in time and talent:
Ann Amaratunga Anusha Dharmasema Sushila Mallawaarachchi Geetha Selvendran Selva Selvendran Arunie Wijesinghe
Embassy of Sri Lanka International Club, DC U.S. Department of State
Meridian International o Meg Beiter, Development Department o Sarah Garcia, Development Department o Palmer Shepherd, Donor Relations Coordinator
United Nations Association – National Capital Area o Paula Boland, Chair, YPIC o Wadee Deeprawat, Asian Affairs, YPIC o Michael Dumlao, Membership Programs Director o Claire Maneja, Asian Affairs, YPIC o Rafael Pinto, Asian Affairs, YPIC o Sashi Selvendran, Asian Affairs, YPIC o Pinki Shah, Program Associate o Show E. Tun, Asian Affairs, YPIC
Meridian International Center is a non-profit institution dedicated to promoting international understanding through the exchange of people, ideas, and the arts. Established in 1960, Meridian offers a wide array of outreach, exchange, and arts programs. Seminars and school outreach projects educate Americans of all ages about global issues; professional exchange programs connect people from different countries; and international art exhibitions and cultural activities enrich the cultural perspectives of audiences across the United States and abroad.
Linden Circle was established to extend Meridian’s mission to the community and reach out to young professionals in the Washington, DC area. The Linden Circle offers programs for those interested in international affairs and intercultural exchange, including cultural activities and art exhibit evenings, seminars and author lectures, and special embassy events. As part of the annual Meridian Ball, Linden Circle also organizes a Linden Circle Young Benefactors Dinner, which raises funds to support Meridian’s programs and services.
The group’s name is derived from the linden trees, which surround Meridian House, and represent the growth of the organization. Through the Linden Circle’s activities, Meridian hopes to promote a continued awareness of global issues in the next generation of international leaders.
Meridian International Center Where the World Comes Together
The United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) and its members work with foreign policy makers, political decision makers, schools, colleges, and universities, and non-profit and other organizations in the National Capital Area to build knowledge, understanding, informed opinion, and new ideas, on the United Nations and its specialized agencies. UNA-NCA concerns and projects touch peace and security, conflict resolution and culture, nuclear non-proliferation, global health, sustainable development, and human rights.
Our goal is to promote productive U.S. involvement in the international community and engage those in the capital area in dialogue on the UN and international issues. As part of this effort, the Young Professionals for International Cooperation (YPIC) is committed to providing information and opportunities to young professional and students in the area.
YPIC holds several events each year through our committees, which include: Africa, Asia, Human Rights, International Law, Latin America, Peace and Security and Sustainable Development. Each year, every committee holds at least one event on a policy issue and one event on career opportunities in their respective areas.
If you are interested in volunteering with a specific YPIC committee, please send your resume along with your area of interest to [email protected]. To be added to our bi- monthly announcement of events, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with a request to "Join YPIC list."
To learn more about becoming a member of UNA-NCA, log onto www.unanca.org or call Michael Dumlao, our Director of Membership Programs, at 202.518.0471.