Making ICT people-centric

e-Swabhimani awards recognise innovative local ideas in ICT

Participating at the e-Swabhimani 2012 award ceremony held on the evening of 10 January, Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya commended ICTA for its role in making ICT part and parcel of the people.

Gracing the awards ceremony held at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, as Chief Guest in spite of a tight schedule, the Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology stated: “Sri Lanka’s children or adults will do great things if properly guided. Everyone, child or adult, likes appreciation. It boosts everyone’s spirit. That is why this e-Swabhimani event that gives recognition to best e-content and e-content developers is so important.”

Referring to the great importance the President attaches to ICT as evidenced by the facilities for ICT given through the 2013 Budget, the Minister said: “Praise from the Opposition is a rare commodity. But the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka received even that towards the close of the 2013 Budget debate.”

“Making available a rare commodity – plaudit of the Government from an Opposition MP – he praised the ICTA. This speaks much and it is an eloquent tribute to ICTA. ICT makes wonders. I had the opportunity to be associated with the setting up of 100 skills centres in schools in Anuradhapura. Before these centres were set up absenteeism at school by students was very high. But after these centres were set up children are at these centres working on the computers in these centres even as early as 6.30 a.m.”

Participating in the event, ICTA CEO Reshan Dewapura pointed out the role of e-Swabhimani in the e-content industry and the need for concerted effort for delivering a brighter future. “e-Swabhimani is not only another important and successful step in our journey of taking the benefits of ICT to all our citizens, it has also been the catalyst of the e-content industry in Sri Lanka.”

Prominence to local talent

Emphasising the Government’s policy of giving prominence to local talent Dewapura said: “It is the Government’s policy to recognise and give prominence to local talent, local skills and local innovations. e-Swabhimani is aimed at doing just that, and we are indeed proud to host this event, firmly establishing the future and the progression of the local e-content industry.

“We conceptualised and launched e-Swabhimani back in 2009, giving opportunity to and encouraging the local talent and the local skills to come-up with innovative and pioneering digital content, for the benefit of local target audiences, especially for the benefit of rural communities.

Growth in each year

“Each year the applications and responses have grown significantly, and we have been over-whelmed by them. This is indeed a clear indication that the need for local digital content is now widely recognised, and the latent innovative talents of the local developers of ‘quality e-content,’ are rapidly coming to the fore.

International awards and WSA 2013 in Sri Lanka

“Also over the years we have submitted the winning products of this national contest to the internationally held World Summit Awards, which is held along the same lines, albeit with competition from across the globe.

“I’m proud to say there have been winners from Sri Lanka in each of the World Summit Award events, performing well above the competition in the region, and sometimes even better than the competition in the rest of the world.

“I’m even prouder, and extremely delighted to announce, that this prestigious international event – the World Summit Awards 2013 – will be held this time in Sri Lanka, in October this year. This is again great testimony to the strides we have taken as a country in the field of ‘ICT for Development’ and ‘e-Content’.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of and contributed to this journey. The Government, the ICT industry, the academia, civil society, and last but not least our development partners like the World Bank, should all take credit for an achievement such as this.

Concerted effort, need of the hour

“At time when we need to intensify our efforts to take the benefits of ICT to the ordinary citizens of our country, and achieve our goals of reaching a Knowledge Hub status, ICT-led pioneering initiatives assume even greater importance, and need to be continued with even greater force, for the foreseeable future. I would therefore like to conclude by encouraging all of you to embrace and join in this effort of delivering a brighter future for our country.”

World Bank Financial Sector Specialist Henry Bagazonzya, Daily FT Editor Nisthar Cassim, Sri Lanka Telecom CEO Greg Young, University of Kelaniya Fine Arts Department Senior Lecturer Rohana Beddage, and Veteran Film Director Asoka Handagama also graced the occasion as special guests of e-Swabhimani 2012.

Institutions/persons which/who made a mark at the e-Swabhimani 2012 at three levels: (1) Winner (2) Certificate of Appreciation and (3) Merit under the nine categories. (1) e-Government and Institutions, (2) e-Health and Environment, (3) e-Learning and Education, (4) e-Entertainment and Games, (5) e-Culture and Heritage, (6) e-Science and Technology, (7) e-Business and Commerce, (8) e-Inclusion and Participation, (9). m-Content.