Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of, and a suburb of, Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life, colonial buildings and monuments.
Percy Mahinda Rajapaksa, commonly known as Mahinda Rajapaksa, is the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and Minister of Finance since 2019. He previously served as the Prime Minister from 2004 to 2005 and as the President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015. Rajapaksa was the Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2004, then again from 2018 to 2019. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kurunegala since the 2015 parliamentary elections.
Seelaratna Senarath is the director programming of CRI Sri Lanka. He is a commercial program announcer of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and former director editorial of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. He is also the incumbent chairman of State Radio Advisory Board of Arts Council of Sri Lanka.
The Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre is a performing arts centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The theatre opened on 15 December 2011.
Lotus Tower, also referred to as Colombo Lotus Tower, is a tower of 356 m (1,168 ft), located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It also reflects the symbolic landmark of Sri Lanka. As of 16 September 2019, the tower is currently the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia. It is also the second tallest structure in South Asia after the guy-wire-supported INS Kattabomman in India. The tower is also the 11th tallest completed tower in Asia and it is also the 19th tallest tower in the world. It was first proposed to be built in the suburb of Peliyagoda but later the Government of Sri Lanka decided to shift the location. The lotus-shaped tower will be used for communication, observation and other leisure facilities, with construction costing $104.3 million, funded by EXIM Bank of People's Republic of China. It is visible throughout Colombo, its suburbs and most major highways radiating from and around the city.
Saga is an annual musical festival organized by Royal College Colombo. The first SAGA was held in 2004 and since then has become an important event on Colombo's cultural calendar. It is named after the ancient Greek epic poems the Odyssey and the Iliad attributed to Homer. In the aspect of oriental music the term referred to the oriental version of sing musical scales as ‘Sa’ refers to the oriental equivalent of the 1st degree- “Do” while “Ga” refers to the equivalent of the 3rd degree, or “Me”
ABU Song Festivals are annual song competitions based on the Eurovision Song Contest. The format consists of two shows, a Radio Song Festival and TV Song Festival, organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).
The ABU Radio Song Festival 2012 was the first edition of the biennial ABU Radio Song Festivals, organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). The festival took place in the KBS Hall, which is located in the South Korean capital of Seoul and coincided with the 49th general assembly of the ABU. The ABU Radio Song Festival attracted twenty-six original entries representing eighteen radio broadcasters from fifteen countries, which competed in a preliminary jury round. The juries selected thirteen entries from twelve radio broadcasters in ten countries to qualify for the final show which was held on 11 October 2012. Fifteen entries were originally selected to participate in the grand final. However, Fiji and Sri Lanka withdrew from the radio competition prior to the final show, and thus only thirteen entries participated in the competition on 11 October 2012.
The ABU Radio Song Festival is a biennial song competition, organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), and is based on the Eurovision Song Contest. The format consists of a non-televised semi-final and grand final which is broadcast.
The ABU TV Song Festival 2013 was the second annual edition of the ABU TV Song Festivals. The festival, which is non-competitive, that took place on 26 October 2013 in the Hanoi Opera House, Hanoi, Vietnam and coinciding with the 50th general assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) which took place between 23 and 29 October 2013. Sixteen songs from fifteen countries participated in the second edition of the event. Brunei, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and Thailand made their début at the festival
The ABU TV Song Festival 2014 was the third annual edition of the ABU TV Song Festival. The festival, which is non-competitive, took place on the 25 October 2014 at Sands Theatre in Macau and coinciding with the 51st General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) which took place between 22 and 28 October 2014. Twelve countries confirmed their participation. The Maldives, Turkey as well as the host country Macau made their début at the festival. Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka all withdrew from the festival.
Yanjian Group is a Chinese construction and engineering company. It is one of the 250 largest international contractors in 2013 as reported by Engineering News-Record magazine.
The ABU TV Song Festival 2016 was the fifth annual edition of the ABU TV Song Festivals. The event, which is non-competitive, took place in Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre, Bali, Indonesia, on 22 October 2016. Fourteen countries have confirmed their participation. Tunisia made their debut at the festival, while China and Sri Lanka returned after a one-year absence and a two-year absence respectively. Myanmar and Vanuatu have both stated that they do not intend to make their debut at the festival. India, Malaysia, and Turkey have withdrawn from the contest.
Brunei have participated in the ABU Radio Song Festival once. The Bruneian broadcaster, Radio Televisyen Brunei, has been the organiser of the Bruneian entry since the country's debut in the contest in 2012.
India have participated in the ABU Radio Song Festival three times. The Indian broadcaster, All India Radio, has been the organiser of the Indian entry since the country's debut in the contest in 2012.
Iran has participated in the ABU Radio Song Festival twice. The Iranian broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, has been the organiser of the Iranian entry since the country's debut in the contest in 2012.
The 33rd Sarasaviya Awards festival, presented by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, was held to honor the best films of 2015 Sinhala cinema on December 15, 2016, at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka at 6:00 p.m. The ceremony was hosted by Kamal Addararachchi and Sangeetha Weeraratne. Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe was the chief guest at the awards nights.
The National Art Gallery in Colombo, Sri Lanka is the country's first national art gallery.
Kurunduwatta Grama Niladhari Division is a Grama Niladhari Division of the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat of Colombo District of Western Province, Sri Lanka.
Nipuna Ranawaka is a Sri Lankan businessman, politician and Member of Parliament.
