Month In Review

A recap of the last few months—full of energy, impact, and fun!

Club Service Avenue

The Club Service Avenue successfully organized a Valentine’s Special Love Flix – a movie night on the 5th of February. The screening took place at Hall 223, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, from 5:00 PM. It was an evening filled with entertainment, fun, and fellowship, bringing together rotaractors to celebrate the spirit of love and friendship.

In addition, the Avenue took the initiative to organize the Kabaragala Hike which took place on the 23rd of February. This adventurous outing was held in collaboration with the Rotaract Clubs of the University of Moratuwa and the University of Peradeniya. The event provided an excellent opportunity for bonding and teamwork.

Community Service Avenue

Healing Hearts 2.0 was carried out in two impactful phases, each aimed at addressing mental health awareness, emotional well-being, and suicide prevention among vulnerable communities. Phase One focused on raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. It began with a digital poster campaign, where thought-provoking and informative content was shared across various social media platforms to spark conversations and educate the public on the importance of mental well-being. Following the online campaign, an on-site awareness session was conducted on 23rd January at Philip Attygalle Maha Vidyalaya, Piliyandala. The session was tailored for students in Grade 9, Ordinary Level (O/L), and Advanced Level (A/L) classes. It aimed to equip young individuals with vital information, emotional coping mechanisms, and mental health resources to foster resilience and a healthier mindset. Phase Two of the project was held on 2nd April at Suwa Arana Indira Cancer Trust, a care center for children battling cancer. This phase emphasized emotional healing through art therapy and mindfulness practices. Rotaractors engaged with the children in creative activities. These efforts not only uplifted spirits but also played a meaningful role in supporting the children’s emotional recovery journey.

Moreover, Golden Hours—a mental relaxation project—took place on the 22nd of March. The project focused on spending meaningful time with elderly cancer patients at the Sisters of Providence, “Talitha Cum”, St. Anne’s Convent. Rotaractors spent the evening singing, dancing, and sharing joyful moments, creating a warm and comforting atmosphere for the residents.

Professional Development Avenue

The Professional Development Avenue, collaborated with the Rotaract Club of University of Colombo, Faculty of Law in organising EMPOWER – a student-focused initiative designed to build confidence, enhance leadership skills, and promote social integration among university students. Recognizing the challenges many students face when transitioning into new academic and social settings—such as language barrier, cultural adaptation, and academic stress—EMPOWER was created to offer both guidance and support. The initiative unfolded in two impactful phases. Phase One featured a social media campaign, where a series of informative posts and blog articles were shared. These covered leadership content including effective communication, adaptability, decision-making, and emotional intelligence. Phase Two involved a leadership awareness session conducted by Rtn. Rasini Bandara, a renowned personality development coach. This interactive session engaged participants in practical discussions and hands-on activities centered around self-leadership, confidence building, and interpersonal effectiveness.

In addition, Aspire’25-1, a Masters scholarship awareness session, was successfully held on the 26th of March at Hall 302, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo. Organized in collaboration with the Economic Students Association, the session aimed to equip students with essential information about international scholarships. It covered available opportunities, eligibility criteria, and success stories, with a focus on helping students plan their postgraduate studies.

The Professional Development Avenue also played a key role in organizing SkillXcellerator in collaboration with the Rotaract Clubs of Colombo North, University of Colombo Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo Faculty of Law, University of Colombo School of Computing, University of Moratuwa, University of Kelaniya, University of Peradeniya, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Alumni of University of Moratuwa, and National Institute of Business Management – Kandy. This two-phase professional development initiative aimed to empower young professionals and students in Sri Lanka by offering free, skill-building sessions across a wide range of fields. Phase 1, held on March 8th at the University of Colombo, featured expert-led workshops in project management, software development, business analysis, journalism, law, AI and analytics, international relations, and human rights.

Furthermore, Edufund, an informative session on grants and scholarships offered by the Rotary Foundation, was organized in collaboration with the Rotaract Clubs of the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Medicine, and the School of Computing of the University of Colombo. The session was held virtually via Google Meet on the 17th of April.

International Service Avenue

Storytelling Circle was a cross-cultural folktale exchange aimed at fostering cultural understanding between local and international Rotaract communities. Organized by the Rotaract Club of the University of Colombo, Faculty of Arts, in collaboration with the Rotaract Club of Vadodara, India (RID 3060), the project was conducted in two phases. Phase One was a virtual session held via Google Meet on the 16th of March 2025 at 8:00 p.m., where captivating folktales and cultural narratives from Sri Lanka and India were shared. Phase Two involved the publication of a blog article series, featuring each folktale presented during the session. This series was successfully published on the website of the Rotaract Club of University of Colombo, Faculty of Arts on 8th April 2025.

Cultural Fusion was a cultural exchange program designed to deepen mutual understanding between the Rotaract Club of University of Colombo, Faculty of Arts and its twin club, the Rotaract Club of RVCE, India (RID 3191), as part of their Twin Club Agreement. This initiative celebrated Twinning Day with an engaging session held via Google Meet on the 29th of March 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Chaired by the International Service Directors of both clubs—Rtr. Sandithi Kalansooriya and Rtr. Ishita Poddar—the session featured interactive discussions and vibrant presentations on cultural elements such as food, music, attire, religions, festivals, and significant landmarks of both countries.

The Editorial

The Editorial launched the What We Love blog series as a literary initiative to encourage creative expression focused on the things that bring joy. Rotaractors shared their passions—whether a book, movie, hobby, or any other personal interest. The project aimed to create a welcoming space for Rotaractors to celebrate and share what they love.

Public Relations Avenue

Memeverse was launched by the Public Relations Avenue as a virtual project inviting university students from all faculties to submit their most relatable and hilarious university-themed memes. The initiative aimed to celebrate the unique sense of humor shared among students and bring laughter to the community.

Sports and Recreation Avenue

The Sports and Recreation Avenue collaborated with the Rotaract Clubs of the University of Colombo, Faculty of Management & Finance, and the University of Colombo School of Computing to organize Rota Awurudu, held on 8th April 2025. This initiative aimed to celebrate the traditional festivities of Sinhala and Tamil New Year, while fostering cultural appreciation.