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Sri Lanka Army

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'Nugaya Manusathmadala', SLFI's Gift to Country's Folklore &;amp; Folk Dance Industry Opened


The ceremonial opening of the state of the art Open Air Theatre (Nugaya Manusathmadala), built at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) premises, took place Thursday (24) afternoon with the distinguished participation of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development as the Chief Guest.

The new open air theatre, a creative product of the SLFI, meant to give a new boost to the country’s folklore and folk dance industry, is an innovative project of the SLFI to lend its helping hand towards revival of the nation’s historical aesthetic and traditional values. The SLFI with its National Leadership and Training Academy saw the birth of this open theatre as a Colombo-based platform that would assist regenerate our fast deteriorating age-old folk drama and folklore traditions.

Mr Rajapaksa at the invitation of the SLFI Chairman unveiled the plaque in the new theatre and also the symbolic emblem of it, giving due recognition to the whole conceptual project as auspicious drums, ‘Magul Bera’ reverberated. Minutes after that, as beats of ‘Pancha Thurya Wadana’ rent the air, the Chief Guest,  accompanied by Dr Willie Gamage, Secretary, Ministry of State Resources Enterprise Development, Mr Keerthi B Kotagama, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, CIC Agri Businesses, Prof Ranjith Bandara, Chairman, Sri Lanka Foundation and several other invitees, lit the traditional oil lamp before the inaugural ‘Saraswathi Pooja’ dance and the welcome speech followed.

Secretaries, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army, Navy and Air Force Commanders and a gathering of invitees attended the occasion.