::::Future World Leader Summit ::::

SRI LANKAN DELEGATION OF MARCH 2003

Diishani Bogollagama and team bring pride to Sri Lanka in Washington D. C.

The 15 Sri I.ankan student leaders who attended the March 2003 Future World Leaders Summit in Washington D C have returned to Sri Lanka bringing pride to their motherland. Once again for the 6th time in succession a Sri Lankan was elected to be one of the 6 Graduation Banquet speakers at the summit to represent Asia. This honor was bestowed on young Dilshani Bogollagama of Colombo International School, daughter of Hon Rohitha Bogollagama Minister of Industries.

Dilshani was voted in by her working group of 40 delegates from 3! Countries and unanimously supported by the Sri Lankan delegation. At every summit only 6 out of the 400 delegates are elected by vote for this highest honor. The Chief Guest at the March 2003 Graduation Ceremony was Sri Lankan Ambassador to USA Excellency Devinda Subasinghe.

The Banquet speakers are given a topic 24 hours before the final day to make a 5-minute speech at the closing session of the Future World Leaders Summit in the Grand Ballroom of the Georgetown University Marriott Conference Center. Since 2000 July Sri Lankans have been participating in this summit as a full delegation of 10 or more students. The first Sri Lankan to be elected a Banquet speaker was Michelle de Saram of Asian International School in 2000 July. The others who followed were Dinal Edirisinghe of Royal College in March 2001. Shirabdi de Silva of Asian International School in July 2001. Poorniina Weerasekera of IIT in March 2002 and Eranjan Kempitiva of Royal College in July 2002.

Hishendra Ravindra of CIS was elected Head of State and Chamithri Rambukwella of Ladies College and daughter of Kheliya Rambukwella: Minister for Science & Technology was elected Deputy Head of State for Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan delegates make this election on the second day of the summit. Hishendra went onto be elected the Chairman of the Working Group on Refugees and the presenter of the same communiqué at the final summit.

Dulani Liyanahetti of Visahka Vidyalaya Colombo was also elected by her working group on Environment as a Communiqué presenter at the final summit. Her Communiqué was one of 3 that were passed at the summit. Farhan Hasan of Elizabeth Moir School and Rumesh Rajendram of CIS. Charana Kanankegamge of D.S Senanayake College and Chamithri Rambukweila of Ladies College were outstanding in their working groups on International Aid. Technology. International Trade and International Aid. The last was another one of 3 communiqués that were passed.

The Sri Lankan country presentation was once again the best out of the 31 presentations made on the opening day.