Executive Committee
Committee Members
Keerthi Welisarage
Chairman
Dr. Sunil Wijesiriwardena
Executive Committee Member
Ruwanthie de Chickera
Executive Committee Member
Playwright & Theatre Director
Keerthi Welisarage
Chairman
2025.01.16
Mr. Keerthi Welisarage has been appointed as the Chairman of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka by Hon. Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.
Keerthi Welisarage; Eleven collections of short stories, ten novels, two works on youth literature, three works on literary criticism. He is the winner of Upali Newspaper Award 1995” Independent Literary Award 1996, two Godage Literary Awards 2000, 2008, three State Literary Award 2000, 2008, 2016, Swarna Pusthaka Award 2012 and Swarna Padma Award 2004. Keerthi Welisarage is a graduate of the University of Colombo and also holds a Master of Education degree. In addition to his literary activities, he is also a social activist.
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Mr. Keerthi Welisarage has been appointed as the Chairman of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka by Hon. Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.
Keerthi Welisarage; Eleven collections of short stories, ten novels, two works on youth literature, three works on literary criticism. He is the winner of Upali Newspaper Award 1995” Independent Literary Award 1996, two Godage Literary Awards 2000, 2008, three State Literary Award 2000, 2008, 2016, Swarna Pusthaka Award 2012 and Swarna Padma Award 2004. Keerthi Welisarage is a graduate of the University of Colombo and also holds a Master of Education degree. In addition to his literary activities, he is also a social activist.
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Dr. Sunil Wijesiriwardena
Executive Committee Member
2025.01.16
Dr. Sunil Wijesiriwardena has been appointed as an executive committee member of Arts Council of Sri Lanka by Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi Hon. Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
He is a longstanding civic leader in Sri Lanka committed to the cause of Peace, Democracy and Social Harmony , while being a researcher, teacher, trainer and writer with focus areas pertaining to cultural-studies and transformative education (cultural fluency, conflict transformation, peace building , eco-spiritual politics and engaged religions etc).
Sunil was the Founder – Director of the first Independent Cultural Institute - Vibhavi Centre for Alternative Culture (1991–2001), devoted to promote Cultural Rights and a Cultural Transformation program in Sri Lanka.
As a playwright, a poet, a literary translator, a literary editor and a critic he has been making a notable contribution to fields of Sinhala Literature, Theatre and Cinema.
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Dr. Sunil Wijesiriwardena has been appointed as an executive committee member of Arts Council of Sri Lanka by Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi Hon. Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
He is a longstanding civic leader in Sri Lanka committed to the cause of Peace, Democracy and Social Harmony , while being a researcher, teacher, trainer and writer with focus areas pertaining to cultural-studies and transformative education (cultural fluency, conflict transformation, peace building , eco-spiritual politics and engaged religions etc).
Sunil was the Founder – Director of the first Independent Cultural Institute - Vibhavi Centre for Alternative Culture (1991–2001), devoted to promote Cultural Rights and a Cultural Transformation program in Sri Lanka.
As a playwright, a poet, a literary translator, a literary editor and a critic he has been making a notable contribution to fields of Sinhala Literature, Theatre and Cinema.
Read more
Ruwanthie de Chickera
Executive Committee Member
Playwright & Theatre Director
2025.01.16
Ruwanthie de Chickera is a playwright, screenwriter, theatre director, actor trainer and cultural activist.
She has written/directed over 35 original plays and two screen plays. Her areas of interest lie in matters of social and political justice and accountability, intergenerational learning and the practice, politics and philosophy of ‘devising’ – a theatre approach of collective creativity and leadership which she believes challenges existing structures of authorship and power.
Ruwanthie is artistic director of Stages Theatre Group, set up in the year 2000 to produce socially and politically conscious original Sri Lankan Theatre. Her award-winning film “Machan” (2008) has been screened in over 50 countries and won several local and international awards including Best Film in the Venice Film festival. In 2024 she collaborated with Uberto Pasolini, on the script of the film The Return, which stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche.
In 2018, Ruwanthie was part of a citizens’ initiative which was mandated to draft a National Cultural Policy for Sri Lanka. She is an Eisenhower Fellow, and currently serves on the Freedom of Expression Sub Committee of the Human Rights Commisison of Sri Lanka.
More about Ruwanthie de Chickera (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruwanthie_de_Chickera
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Ruwanthie de Chickera is a playwright, screenwriter, theatre director, actor trainer and cultural activist.
She has written/directed over 35 original plays and two screen plays. Her areas of interest lie in matters of social and political justice and accountability, intergenerational learning and the practice, politics and philosophy of ‘devising’ – a theatre approach of collective creativity and leadership which she believes challenges existing structures of authorship and power.
Ruwanthie is artistic director of Stages Theatre Group, set up in the year 2000 to produce socially and politically conscious original Sri Lankan Theatre. Her award-winning film “Machan” (2008) has been screened in over 50 countries and won several local and international awards including Best Film in the Venice Film festival. In 2024 she collaborated with Uberto Pasolini, on the script of the film The Return, which stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche.
In 2018, Ruwanthie was part of a citizens’ initiative which was mandated to draft a National Cultural Policy for Sri Lanka. She is an Eisenhower Fellow, and currently serves on the Freedom of Expression Sub Committee of the Human Rights Commisison of Sri Lanka.
More about Ruwanthie de Chickera (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruwanthie_de_Chickera
Read more