Launch of ThriBasha; Language as Heritage for National Prosperity

• The Weekend FT is the English print media partner for this event

ThriBasha is a Sri Lankan literacy focused entity promoting knowledge and arts in all three official languages of Sri Lanka; Sinhala, Tamil and English which is collaborating with Read Plus, a group of Lankan publishers, a consortium of 15 leading publishing houses to promote life-long integrated education for national wellbeing. 

ThriBasha is collaborating with Read Plus for Sri Lanka’s first Virtual Book Fair which commenced on 15 September. The online Zoom-based launch of ThriBasha is today, held in collaboration with Read Plus and the Virtual Book Fair. 

ThriBasha will support especially self-published authors in remote areas of Sri Lanka by promoting their books, fiction as well as non-fiction, across the island and organising translation facilitated readings and interactions between writers using Sinhala, Tamil and English for their communication.

It seeks to extensively collaborate with all publishers of Sri Lanka to promote language as heritage, the root of creativity for practically implemented knowledge and aesthetics that benefits a nation and its people. ThriBasha will commit to take Sinhala language to the world alongside promoting Sri Lankan Tamil within a national identity. Thereby it is committed to a comprehensive national framework for fostering education  and nation building.  ThriBasha Founder Frances Bulathsinghala is a veteran journalist, academic and entrepreneur who is currently working on a Lankan nation building model through wisdom-based knowledge, centred around the intangible cultural heritage of Sri Lanka and woven around the vast education base found in the pre-colonial Gurukula tradition of Sri Lanka.

Frances Bulathsinghala has also designed the concept of Edu-Tourism in Sri Lanka and is currently setting up an open-air book and tree library in the Central Province. TriBasha is the knowledge arm of Universal Heritage Inspire Ltd.

Among those spearheading ThriBasha across the country includes Frances Bulathsinghala, Nuwan Priyadharshana, Prof. Kamal Waleboda, Subodhan Mahadeva, Eng. Priyantha Dayarathna, Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya, Dr. Mangaleswaran, Dr. M. Malarawan, and many other academic, writers and artists from different sectors of society in diverse geographical areas of Sri Lanka.

Tentative online events of ThriBasha from 18 to 30 September in collaboration with Read Plus, organisers of Sri Lanka’s first virtual book fair  

Soft launch to be through Zoom on 18 September.

• Zoom Meeting ID for 18 September 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: 82191195580
• Zoom Passcode: 280634
• Zoom Meeting ID for 19 September 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.: 87829172303
• Zoom Passcode: 935571

Schedule for 18 September 

• 10:00-10:10 a.m. : Introduction of Read Plus and the first Virtual International Book Festival in Sri Lanka by Read Plus Director M. Safeer 
• 10:10-10:15 a.m.: Handing over of the program proceedings to ThriBasha by Read Plus Foundation Founding Member/President Dinesh Kulatunga 
• 10:15-10:20 a.m.: Introducing ThriBasha Frances Bulathsinghala, Nuwan Priyadarshana and Mahadeva Subothan
• 10:20-10:35 a.m.: The ideal role of Sri Lanka’s Publishing industry: Read Plus Founding Member and Neptune Publications owner Dinesh Kulatunga  
• 10:35-10:50 a.m.: Language to safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage: Professor of Mass  Communication and Intangible Cultural Heritage National Advisory Board Chairman Prof. Kamal Waleboda
• 0:50-11:05 a.m.: Education and literacy for National Unity: University of Vavuniya Vice Chancellor Dr. T. Mangleswaran 
• 11:05-11:15 a.m.: Mother Language; Language as the ‘mother’: Guest Speaker former Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and current Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Riaz Hamidullah 
• 11:15-11:30 a.m.: Knowledge and Arts; the foundation of a Nation: Prof. Nimal de Silva
• 11:30 a.m.-12.00 p.m.: Discussion based on questions by the audience

Scehdule for 19 September: Lankan Roots, Knowledge and Practical Application

• 10:00-10:15 a.m.: The role of the National Library of Sri Lanka in knowledge generation in all three official languages of Sri Lanka: National Library of Sri Lanka Director Padma Bandaranayake
• 10.15-10.30 a.m.: Reading, Knowledge and Practical Application for Entrepreneurship: University of Jayewardenepura Senior Visiting Lecturer, Business Development Centre Chairman and Ministry of  National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Arts Promotion Advisor Dr. Premasiri Gamage
• 10:30-10:45 a.m.: Language and Knowledge; through the lens of ancient knowledge transfer of Sinhala Wedakama: Dekatana Neelakadi Wedagedera Desheeya Paramparika Waidya and Priyantha Dharmawansha Wedamahattaya
• 10:45-12:00 p.m.: Need to mainstream Heritage Knowledge as General Knowledge; A look into Deshiya Chikitsa, Siddha and Unani Knowledge Systems: Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Ayurveda Senior Lecturer Dr. Udaya Samaratunga   
• 12:00-12:30 p.m.: Heritage, Culture, Knowledge and the role of the local publication industry; Neptune Publishers, Sandakada Publishers, Godage Publishers, Thotanne Publishers: Moderated by Eng. Priyantha Dayarathne