Activities
in the Month of June
North- East CPArts Centres
As Sri Lanka currently resides under the fear of another outbreak of civil war, the CPArts centres in the North and East have been unable to continue some of the regular programs and have decided to focus on prayers for peace which are much-needed in this volatile time. Other centres, not found in the affected regions, are also supporting this effort of prayers for peace.
Sinhala Centres
The Sinhala Centres are continuing their formal education in all of our regular programs. Some of the recent highlights from their activities include the following:
Posan Poya Day
The Sinhala CPArts centres celebrated Posan Poya day on the 11th of June. The members of these centres went to temples across the nation to pray. In particular, their prayers were focused on praying for peace in this country.
Anuradhapura CPArts at Mihintale
Over the weekend demarcated for the celebration of Poya Day, Anuradhapura CPArts participated in a programme organized by Future Peace. After 5 days of training and preparation, under the direction of Mr. Lathis, the children were ready to put on the dramas they had created. In an ingenious step, the performances took place outside the train station and at a temple in Anuradhapura. In performing in these public spaces, the CPArts teams were able to reach thousands of individuals who may have otherwise not been able to receive the messages of peace brought out in the dramatic pieces and folk dances. Anuradhapura is a particularly unique place in Sri Lanka, as it is one of the ancient cities and formerly the capital founded in the fourth century BC, and now is a World Heritage Site.
Sinhala CPArts Children’s Teacher’s Programm
The Sinhala teachers gathered for a special workshop on the 16th and 17th of June at St. Sebastian Hall in Colombo. Twenty teachers were present to participate in this effort to pursue excellence in our teaching styles and methods used within the CPArts community. Mrs. Marsha Danielle, from Lost Child Project Sri Lanka, facilitated the event. There was a particular focus on trying to build confidence within this community of teachers, as well as pursuing ways of enhancing the creative abilities of their students. The teachers were able to share their experiences with one another and gain further insight on how they could improve their programs and teaching styles. In this setting, the teams of teachers from across the Sinhala centres were able to create a common plan for the activities and programs to take place in their centres for the next 6 months.
German Embassy
Ms. Martina Kostbahn-Kuster from the German Embassy has kindly orchestrated the donation of soccer balls to CPArts in order to commemorate the World Cup 2006, which is being hosted by Germany this year. These soccer balls have been distributed through out our centres in the North and East.
International Peace Forum
Caritas, Sri Lanka, organized an International Peace Forum to take place on the 26th and 27th of June. Delegates from over 40 countries shared their experiences and knowledge on Conflict Resolution, which will eventually be compiled into a book on the subject. A welcome dance for the commencement of the program was performed by Colombo and Panadura CPArts at BMICH on the morning of the 26th. CPArts had the opportunity to participate in the final event, on the evening of June 27, through performances by centres from Avisawella, Vavuniya, Galle, Panadura, and Colombo. This dinner took place at Water’s Edge, Battarmula. The dances were traditional Sri Lankan dances in both Sinhala and Tamil varying styles.
Report by CPArts Team