This mega event organised by Kite Sri Lanka, has been aptly named ‘Robbialac Nil Ahase Wasanthaya’ and is expected to attract over 500 kite enthusiasts from Sri Lanka, in addition to several international competitors.
In fact the second day, Sunday, will feature games which are open to everyone. ‘Robbialac Nil Ahase Wasanthaya’ is also supported by the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention.
“We’re delighted to lend our patronage as Title Sponsor of this much awaited event. In keeping with its theme ‘Enna Ahasa Paata Karamu’, it certainly will explode in a riot of colour across the skies over the Galle Face Green during the weekend of 12 and 13 September”, said Director Lankem Ceylon PLC Ruwan T. Weerasinghe.
“It is an accepted fact that the two sports which remain unchanged from childhood are cricket and the flying of kites. Colour, with its life, passion and vibrancy is the common bond we share with the National Kite Festival. A pioneer in Sri Lanka’s paints industry, Lankem is today one of Sri Lanka’s largest manufacturers and marketers of coatings with an extensive palette of various hues and shades of colours. This is thus fitting that we join support ‘Robbialac Nil Ahase Wasanthaya’ and transform the skies into a gigantic pallette of colour”, he added.
The flying of kites has traditionally been a popular form of entertainment and relaxation across the world, be it national events, traditional festivals or major international festivals at which kite flyers display their unique art kites and demonstrate the latest technical kites.
The kite has been generally accepted as being the invention of the 5th century BC. Chinese philosophers Mozi and Lu Ban. We’re told that in ancient China kites were used for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operations. From China, kites were introduced to Cambodia, India, Japan, Korea and the Western world. Kites were also instrumental in the research of the Wright Brothers when developing the first airplane in the late 1800s.
President of Kite Sri Lanka Prasanna Atulugama revealed that plans are currently underway to take this event forward as a national sport. “Now in its seventh successful year, this festival has great potential to further enrich Sri Lanka’s offering as a multi-dimensional tourist destination. We are expecting a crowd more than 100,000 in all this year. We’re thankful to Lankem Robbialac for coming on board and look forward to a greater collaboration in the years to come”.
Photo Caption- Director Lankem Ceylon PLC Ruwan T. Weerasinghe (third form left) and President, Kite Sri Lanka, Prasanna Atulugama exchange sponsorship documents. Also in the picture are (L to R) Marketing Manager (Lankem Ceylon PLC - Paint) Chanaka Tissera, General Manager (Lankem Ceylon PLC - Paint) Daminda Siriwardena, Member, Kite Sri Lanka Mahesh Ranasinghe and Senior Product Manager (Lankem Ceylon PLC - Paint) Dilukshan Jayasekera.
