‘Mini Infotel Kegalle’ on 30-31 July

The Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka (FITIS) announced ‘Mini Infotel Kegalle – Towards a Knowledge Nation,’ the largest regional ICT exhibition in 2011. FITIS is organising ‘Mini Infotel Kegalle’ in partnership with Ministry of Telecommunication and IT and Presidential Task Force for English and IT.  

Speaking about the ‘Mini Infotel Kegalle – Towards a Knowledge Nation’ exhibition, Minister of Telecommunication and IT Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said: “Our Ministry is making every effort to implement policies and programmes to ensure that ICT can enrich the life of every citizen of this country and contribute optimally to Sri Lanka’s national development and prosperity. While bringing out necessary policy initiatives to achieve this, it is also important to take ICT message to all parts of the country. This helps us to achieve our national ICT objective of achieving 75% ICT literacy in five years and to create awareness of benefits of ICT to citizens. It is in that spirit and with these objectives that we partnered with FITIS to conduct the ‘Mini Infotel’ ICT exhibition in Kegalle. We would like to invite the entire ICT industry to join hands with FITIS in this initiative and call on the people of Kegalle District to get the best benefit out of this opportunity.”

FITIS Hardware Chapter President Wasantha Weerakoon said: “Mini INFOTEL regional exhibitions and ICT career guidance programmes are a joint private public partnership in order to promote ICT in outstation areas. The Minister has taken a keen initiative to promote ICT among rural youth in order to meet national ICT objectives of 75% ICT literacy, US$ 1 billion ICT export revenues and encouraged FITIS to conduct more regional ICT exhibitions. Promoting IT usage and taking its benefits to all citizens and regional economies is one of FITIS’ objectives as well. We are also working hard with our more than 160 member companies to promote wider usage of information and communication technology in order to enhance the competitiveness of industries vital to the economy.  In order to achieve these objectives, we are planning to hold more regional exhibitions in main provincial towns.”

FITIS Chief Executive Officer Damith Hettihewa said: “IT skills are vital to build a vibrant knowledge-based economy. In order to attract more youth from Kegalle District to the field of ICT, arrangements have been made to hold an ICT career guidance programme parallel to the ‘Mini Infotel Kegalle’ exhibition. Awareness programmes on professional ICT education, ICT usage in SME sector and lectures on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) will also be organised in parallel to the ‘Mini Infotel 2011’ exhibition.”

A large number of local and multinational organisations representing the ICT field will be participating in the exhibition. Stalls can be reserved under the categories of computers, IT solutions, telecommunications and broadband  services, gaming, media and entertainment, computer gaming , software, electronics retail, banking and insurance, manufacturing and SME, e-citizen services, ICT training, professional education, English and higher education, bood and beverages, Hettihewa added.

ICT solution providers, computer vendors and organisations in telecommunications, banking, IT training, professional studies and higher education sectors have come forward to partner the exhibition.

The last ‘Mini Infotel’ exhibition was held in February 2010 in the Jaffna peninsula after 30 years. It drew large crowds as it was the first mega exhibition to be held right after the opening of the A9 highway. ‘Mini Infotel’ was also held in Kurunegala and Tangalle in 2009.  

Information can also be obtained from the Infotel Secretariat at 51, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7 or via 0112-665261.

The Sri Lanka ICT Industry Association, FITIS, which constitutes the Sri Lanka Computer Vendors Association (SLCVA) – the Hardware Chapter, Sri Lanka Association for the Software Industry (SLASI) – the Software Chapter, Association of Computer Training Organisations (ACTOS) – the Training Chapter, Lanka Internet Service Providers Association (LISPA)/(TPA) – the Telecommunications Chapter and Information Systems  Audit and Control Association  (ISACA)  - the Professional Chapter.

FITIS has been in operation for the last 15 years as the unified umbrella organisation of the ICT industry in Sri Lanka. It has been actively engaged in setting the strategic direction and developing the ICT industry in Sri Lanka with many programmes which have been successfully implemented.