News & Events

Green Projects for Professional Development

Students of MBBS Batch 34 engaged in group green projects to develop leadership and teamwork skills as part of the Professional Development and Family Medicine Strand (PDFM). Green projects were conducted under the guidance of Prof. Nirmala Perera and the garden supervisor, Mr. Ruwan. Each project was conducted within the faculty premises by ten groups of students. These projects involved creating a butterfly garden, planting chilies, radish, manioc, and indigenous yams of Sri Lanka, clearing up the backyard and creating a relaxation area, and an e-waste collection campaign and promoting waste segregation among students in the faculty. These projects were carried out between June and August 2023.

Shramadana campaign - 27th of August 2023

The Green Practice Committee (GPC), Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, and the Students of Green Society joined forces with environmental police officers of Ragama police station to conduct a “Shramadana” campaign at the vegetable garden of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya adjoining Thalagolla Child Development Center. The event was held on the 25th of June 2023 from 8.00 a.m. onwards.

Academic and nonacademic staff of the faculty and the police officers participated in this event. About 30 volunteered enthusiastically contributed to weeding already cultivated areas of the community vegetable land and clearing unused land for new crops. GPC and the Center for Sustainability Solutions (CSS) initiated this vegetable garden project.

Shramadana campaign - 25th of June 2023

Awareness of Solid Waste Management at the University of Kelaniya

Centre for Sustainability Solutions (CSS) at the University of Kelaniya is conducting a series of awareness programs to promote sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. With that the first program on "Awareness of Solid Waste Management" programs for the supervisors of the university's cleaning staff was held on October 3, 2023. Dr. D M Pansujee Dissanayake, Dr. Madurika Nanayakkara, Mr. Aruna Shantha and, Mr. Buddhika Wickramasingha provided invaluable insights and guidance on effective solid waste management representing CSS.

Waste management is a critical concern globally, and as an educational University of Kelaniya continuously takes proactive measures to address this issue while educating the staff and students of its necessity. The first phase of this program aimed to equip supervisors of the cleaning staff with the knowledge and skills needed to make responsible decisions in managing solid waste within the university premises.

Certificate Awarding Ceremony of Sustainability Leadership Training Program

Certificate Awarding Ceremony of Sustainability Leadership Training Program for Youth and Launching of the 2nd edition of the “GreenInsight” e-magazine

The 6th cycle of the Sustainability Leadership Training Programme (SLTP) for Youth concluded with a Certificate Awarding Ceremony on June 8, 2023. The venue was the senate room of the University of Kelaniya, and the event was organized by the Centre for Sustainability Solutions (CSS) at the university.

During the ceremony, Dr. Pansujee Dissanayake, Deputy Director of CSS and SLTP coordinator, introduced the program's goals and outline. The SLTP certificate course, an annual offering by CSS, aims to enhance the University of Kelaniya undergraduates' understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while promoting attitudes toward volunteering and environmental conservation.

Certificates were bestowed upon students who successfully completed the SLTP course by the University's Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor Nilanthi De Silva, and the University Registrar, Mr. K. K. K. Dharmathilaka. In her address, the Vice-Chancellor applauded the students' achievements and encouraged them to continue supporting initiatives that combat climate change and promote SDG awareness.

Simultaneously, alongside the award ceremony, CSS launched the second edition of its e-magazine, "GreenInsights." This publication serves as a platform for showcasing research related to SDGs. The current edition features a diverse array of articles from colleges nationwide, encompassing a wide range of topics. Dr. Wasanthi Subasinghe, Director of CSS, acknowledged the dedication of Editor Mr. Hashan Wijesinghe and the esteemed panel of reviewers who contributed to the publication of "GreenInsights."

The event was attended by CSS members and university undergraduates.