Lankan expats plan Sinhala, Tamil New Year events

The programme is being organised by the embassy of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Co-ordinating Committee (SLCC) Qatar. Sri Lankan Ambassador Jayantha Palipane will be the chief guest.

Actors Damayantha Kusum Perera Jayathungage and Tissa Srilal Abeykoon from the popular teledrama Kopi Kade, actress Praba Biyanka Dushanthi Fonseka and presenter of Hathdinnath Tharu Dinusha Lakmali Rajapathirana are being flown in by SriLankan Airlines for the celebrations.

Sampath Bank Sri Lanka representatives Wije Dambawinne (deputy general manager, treasury), Lalanga Kariyawasam, (senior executive, remittances) and Lasitha Mallawa, (executive, remittances) will also attend the celebrations.

The day’s proceedings will begin with the welcoming of the chief guest and invitees and hoisting of the national flags of Qatar and Sri Lanka, followed by the national anthems and lighting of the traditional oil lamp.

As in the past, several sports and traditional events - such as a 100m race (male and female), 1,500m run, 4x100m relay, volleyball, breaking the pot (male and female), lime and spoon (female), pillow fight, tug-of-war (male and female), raban, janakavi, fancy dress (children and adults), singithi avurudu kumari, 10m rabbit race, bursting of the balloon, sack race and more - have been lined up for the community, said SLCC president Lenny Cramer.

Registration for the events, which will be jointly handled by the Sri Lankan Quantity Surveyors and Old Anandians in Doha, will start at 7am. Participants can register their names at the event desks that will be set up at the venue.

Registrations for teams that wish to take part in the volleyball tournament, which will be conducted by SSC Wakrah, will be held from 7am to 8.30am, with the tournament being played on a single match knockout basis.

Prizes sponsored by SriLankan Airlines, Trico International, CCU Logistics, Domasco, New White Oceanic Restaurants and Al Wasal Furniture are on offer and a raffle draw will also be held at the end of the programme, Cramer said. Music will be provided by the Doha-based Sri Lankan Band, Ridma, while the sound arrangements will be handled by Stagecraft.

The Sri Lankan Community Benevolent Fund (SLCBF) will operate a food stall at the venue and the community can extend support through the many options available. For more information, one can contact SLCBF president George Bandula, vice-president Tennison De Silva and Lalith Jayasekara on 55526950, 55382301 and 55843229.

Traditional breakfast will be served by Lanka Lions. The main sponsor of the programme is Sampath Bank Sri Lanka. Qatar Duty Free, SriLankan Airlines, Al Bateel Securicor and Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment are the co-sponsors, with The Weekly and Al Sabah Trading and Contracting Company as the sponsors.

For details, contact Anura Hettigoda (55967017), Dhammika Jayasena (55654241) and Ranjith Gurusinghe (66580392).