|
Festival of Cricket 2010 was officially
launched at the Sri Lanka High
Commission in the presence of the Sri
Lanka High Commissioner, His Excellency
Justice Nihal Jayasinghe on Friday the 7th
May 2010. The program commenced with the
traditional letter of invitation been
handed over to the High Commissioner by
a delegation of Office Bearers of the
FOC 2010 led by the President Azahim
Mohamed. Since its inception in 1989,
and commencing with His Excellency
Chandra Monarawala, The High
Commissioner at that time, it has been a
tradition that the High Commissioner of
Sri Lanka, as the Chief Guest, hoists
the Sri Lankan national flag, at the FoC
opening ceremony.
The function was attended by the Country
Manager of Bank of Ceylon Mr Cyril
Madadeniya, SriLankan airlines Sales
Manager Mr Jeremy Soertsz, Chief
Executive Officer of SM Call Dialog Mr
Sam Seinthan and Mr Nalin Perera
representing the Sri Lanka Tourist
Board, former Presidents of the FoC,
and the Chairmen of the Festival of
Cricket sub-committees.
Bank of Ceylon, the bankers to the Sri
Lankan nation, will be the main sponsor
of the Festival of Cricket for the
fourth successive year. Srilankan
Airlines, the national carrier of Sri
Lanka along with SM Call Dialog are this
year’s co-sponsors. SM Call Dialog -
connecting the UK to Sri Lanka, will
also sponsor the Hospitality Marquee of
the FoC 2010. Sri Lanka Tourist Board,
the promoter of the Small Miracle Sri
Lanka (Visit Sri Lanka 2011) will
sponsor this year’s opening ceremony.
Newslanka and Sesatha (www.sesatha.co.uk) are the Official Print
Media Partner and Official Electronic
Media Partner of the FoC 2010
respectively.
President of the Festival of Cricket
2010 Azahim Mohamed addressing the
gathering stated that Festival of
Cricket is the oldest serving Sri Lankan
organisation in the UK involved in
Cricket which is represented by twenty
five UK based Sri Lankan School Old
Boys’ Associations and that the festival
continues to be the largest and the most
popular event in the social calendar of
the Sri Lankan community in the UK.
He further added that apart from
assisting the respective schools, this
year too, the FoC will support the
Cancer Hospital at Maharagama, and the
Cancer Research UK. The FoC President
went on to say that he is grateful to
all the sponsors this year and that the
FoC takes pride in fostering good
relationships with all Sri Lankan
Communities, institutions and
companies.
The High Commissioner in his address
stated that the Festival of Cricket is
easily the most popular event of the
year for all Sri Lankan communities in
the UK. He said that this unique event
is the pride and joy of all Sri Lankans
in the UK. His Excellency Justice Nihal
Jayasinghe further added that FoC is
the only Cricket event of its kind in
the UK and that it is imperative that
all communities work together to make
the Festival of Cricket a huge success
this year and in the years to come.
Mr Cyril Madadeniya Country Manager Bank
of Ceylon in his address stated that the
BoC was very happy to continue to extend
its support to FoC as the main sponsor.
SriLankan airlines Sales Manager Mr
Jeremy Soertsz, and the Chief Executive
Officer of SM Call Dialog Mr Sam
Seinthan stated that they were proud to
be associated with the FoC - the largest
Sri Lankan event in Europe and that they
hope to continue to support FoC in the
future too.
Deputy High Commissioner Mr P M Amza, Dr
Gnana Sankaralingam, the Hon. Secretary
of the FoC and the Hon. Treasurer
Wickrama Waidyanatha were also present.
Twenty five School OBA’s participating
in this year’s tournament are:
Ananda, De Mazenod, Dharmaraja, DS
Senanayake, Holy Cross, Isipathana,
Kingswood, Mahanama, Mahinda, Maris
Stella, Nalanda, Rahula, Richmond,
Royal, St. Aloysius, St.Anthony’s,
St.Benedict’s, St.Joseph’s, St Peter’s,
St.Sebastian’s, St Thomas’, Thurstan,
Trinity, Wesley and Zahira.
The 22nd Annual
Festival of Cricket will be held on
Sunday 11 July 2010 at Winchmore Hill
Cricket Club, Fords Grove, London N21
3ER.
Marquee Hire and Sponsorship
Opportunities
For Marquee Hire: Methsiri Wijeratne:
0795 6576768;
wijeratna@aol.com
For Sponsorship Opportunities: Rohan Pathirana:
07736 073185;
ronpathi@yahoo.com
Please visit our website at
www.festivalofcricket.org for
more information.
|
