Painting a brighter picture

By Cheranka Mendis

Colombo yesterday came alive with colour and imagination as some 2,000 students from almost 110 schools took their paintbrushes and creativity to the Beira Lake premises.

From flyovers and packed-up buildings to fast-paced bullets and jetliners, the paintings depict Colombo as a highly-developed city, offering all comforts.

While the majority of the paintings showcase tall and modern buildings constructed in almost an Indian-like clogged atmosphere, with towers designed like the picture-perfect structures in Dubai, some others have gone on to showcase the city at its cleanest and greenest.

There are also paintings showcasing the peace and harmony between different ethnic and religious groups and of freedom. Described as the longest art wall in Sri Lanka, at one km long, it portrays what children think the country will look like in 10 years. Organised to coincide with World Tourism Day celebrations, which falls on Tuesday, the event is hosted by Sri Lanka Tourism.

White boards have been erected on the pavement around the Beira Lake facing Sir James Peiris Mawatha and runs to midpoint of Navam Mawatha, while the other end stops in front of the Bishop’s College Auditorium gate on Perahera Mawatha.

Starting last morning by 9:30, students and teachers from the chosen schools started the painting. Sri Lanka Tourism officials estimate the entire wall will be completed within three days.

Titled the ‘Colombo Wall,’ the art wall will remain at the premises for a week and will then be moved to another location. The location for the next stop is still not finalised, they said.

With the international theme for the year being ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures,’ Sri Lanka Tourism will launch eight commemorative stamps with Sri Lanka’s main tourism attractions during the week. Special exhibitions and dance acts of culture and heritage are also set to be staged during the period.