GIS Solutions celebrates ‘World Geographical Information System Day 2014

Wednesday, 26 November 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

World GIS Day (Geographical Information System Day) is celebrated around the world every year on the third Wednesday in the month of November, as a part of National Geographic’s Geographical Awareness Week. GIS is also considered one of the leading growth areas of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

World GIS Day this year was on 19 November for which we had a ‘GIS Day Seminar’ to celebrate World GIS Day to create further awareness. This event took place at the Mahaweli Authority, Nelum Pokuna Mawatha, Colombo 7. GIS Solutions Ltd. is encouraged by its principal ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute – USA) to conduct events to create awareness about GIS and join in global celebrations of events relating to Geographical Information Systems (GIS). For World GIS Day, which it has celebrated for the last three years running, its work focuses on promoting the use of maps and mapping technology among the general public of Sri Lanka – especially students.

For World GIS Day 2014 it initiated by conducting a Children’s Art competition which began in June, for the age category 15-18 years in partnership with Derana TV, which was an islandwide contest and received entries from school and university students in the field of geography from all over Sri Lanka. The artworks of all submissions and award winners were showcased and awarded at the World GIS Day Seminar. The three winners of the competition who were awarded at the World GIS Day 2014 seminar were: 1st Place – Nawodya Gunaratna, Sri Rahula Balika Vidyalaya, Malabe; 2nd Place – M. Charitha Nelum Kumari Perera, Jaya Mahamaya Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Nugegoda; 3rd Place – Janithra C. Ratnayake, Sumana Balika Vidyalaya, Ratnapura.

The objective of this seminar was to introduce and create further interest to the students about the fundamental concepts of GIS and with its select panel of distinguished presenters who specialise in the GIS field, which made the event a success. The distinguished panel of invitees comprised Dr. Amara Satharasinghe – Additional Director General, Department of Census and Statistics; Dr. Ranjith Premasiri – Senior Lecturer, Department of Earth Resources Engineering, University of Moratuwa; Prabath Malavige – Deputy Chief Manager (GIS & Facilities), Sri Lanka Ports Authority; S. Sivanantharajah – Senior Superintendent of Surveys, Survey Department of Sri Lanka.

Additionally, a special thanks to the support extended by Department of Education, Western Province Coordinator L.H.R. Silva – Assistant Director of Education (Social Science), Department of Education Western Province. GIS Solutions Ltd. is a subsidiary of Just In Time Group and Sole Authorised Distributor for ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) in Sri Lanka – to market the ArcGIS range of GIS technology products.

Appointed by the global GIS technology leader ESRI, GIS Solutions’ Vision is to sustain leadership as the provider of the world’s leading Geographic Information Systems software technology solutions in Sri Lanka, whilst acting as a catalyst for facilitating its clients’ organisational and operational efficiencies and growth, by providing services and products that enhance their planning, managing and decision making.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara