National Crafts Council

Alawala gets Roofing sheets ….

Alawala village in Attanagalla Divisional Secretariat Division is a village inhabited by a group of designers who create reeds based handicrafts. Roofing sheets and small machineries were donated to these artisans on 2021.01.23 for the construction of their workshops.

The event held under the patronage of Hon. Prasanna Ranaweera, Minister of Cane, Brass, Clay, Furniture and Rural Industries Promotion was attended by Hon. Upul Mahendran Rajapaksa, Member of Parliamentof Gampaha District and Attanagalla Organizer, and Politicians of the area including Mr. Pradeep Maduranga, Alawala Pradeshiya Sabha Member, Mr. Sudath Abeysekara, Chairman of the National Crafts Council, Mrs. Chandramalie Liyanage, Director, National Crafts Council, Prof. Gamini Adhikari, Director General of the Central Cultural Fund and Government Officials and a host of artisans.

Benefits to the trainees to coincide the “Jayave” National Festival of Cane Cultivation ….

Hon. Wimal Weerawansa, Minister of Industries and Hon. Prasanna Ranaweera, State Minister were the chief guests at the State Festival of Cultivation of Cane as a Raw-material which was held on 2021 01 21 at Raalmaduwa Cane Production Village, Wanathawilluwa. In parallel thereto, the National Crafts Council donated equipment to artisans with special training in cane production and issued new identity cards to craftsmen registered with the National Crafts Council.

Shilpa Thursday” Traditional Handicraft Trade Fair…

“Shilpa Thursday” Traditional Handicraft Trade Fair organized by the National Crafts Council under the auspices of the State Ministry of Rattan, Brass, Clay, Furniture and Rural Industry Promotion was declared open by the Hon. Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa on the 16th September 2020 at 10.00 am. Hon. Wimal Weerawansa, Minister of Industries and Hon. Prasanna Ranaweera, State Minister also participated in this occasion.

“Shilpa Thursday” Traditional Handicrafts Trade Fair with 125 stalls is held every Thursday at Diyatha Uyana, Battaramulla. Arrangements have been made at the handicrafts fair which runs from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm, for the customers to purchase products direct from the artisans themselves at a reasonable price.

The attendance of large crowds at the “Shilpa Thursday” Trade Fair on the opening day enabled the artisans to earn a high income and the total revenue exceeded 3.5 million.

“Shilpa Thursday” Traditional Handicrafts Trade Fair organized by the National Crafts Council with the aim of empowering handicraftsmen in the aftermath of the COVID -19 pandemic was a ray of hope for the artisans.

State Minister meets Provincial Officials…

Hon. Prasanna Ranaweera, State Minister of Rattan, Brass, Clay, Furniture and Rural Industry Promotion called on the officers of Provincial , District and Head Office of the National Crafts Council on 27th August. At this meeting held at the Conference Hall of the Centre for Housing Planning & Building (CHPB), Pelawatta, Battaramulla, the Hon. State Minister explained the development programs expected to be implemented by the State Ministry in the coming year. The meeting was followed by a lecture on Attitude Development for officers conducted by a Veteran lecturer, Mr. Lasantha Kariyapperuma, Coordinating Secretary to the Hon. State Minister.

Mr. Vijitha Bandaranaike, Secretary to the State Ministry, Mr. Sudath Abeysekera, Chairman of the National Crafts Council and Mrs. Chandramali Liyanage, Director were also present on the occasion.

Sunset in crumbling Iththepane …

Mr. Sudath Abeysekare, Chairman of the National Crafts Council paid an official visit to the Talipot leaf based crafts training centre at Iththepana in Walallawita Divisional Secretary’s division on Wednesday the 22nd of February 2020. The Chairman closely examined the dilapidated building of the centre, which had not been subject to any renovation whatsoever over the years. The Chairman stated that steps would be taken expeditiously to renovate the building and to provide all necessary facilities for the successful implementation of the training courses at the centre.

“Feats of Art (Sithuwamin Dinamu)” – Workshop on Traditional Art …

“Feats of Art (Sithuwamin Dinamu)” a workshop on traditional art was held on 23rd February 2020 at Ape Gama Premises in Battaramulla. More than 400 amateur artists participated in the workshop which was held under the guidance of Mr. Sudath Abeysekare, a veteran artist and the Chairman of the National Crafts Council. Hon. Wimal Weerawansa, Minister of Small Medium Enterprise (SME) & Enterprise Development Industries & Supply Management, was the Chief Guest at the event and Mr. Monti Ranathunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Small Medium Enterprise (SME) & Enterprise Development Industries & Supply Management, also participated at the occasion.

The Chairman supervises training centers …

Mr. Sudath Abeysekara, Chairman of the National Crafts Council recently engaged in an inspection tour to training centers. The Chairman who studied the present situation said that under the guidance of Hon. Minister, Wimal Weerawansa, steps would be taken in near future to establish state of the art effective training centers.

An Efficient Service …

The staff of the National Crafts Council attended a special training session on February 10. The workshop was held at NAQDA, Battaramulla and Mr. Monty Ranathunga, Secretary, Ministry of Small & Medium Business and Enterprise Development and Mr. Samantha S. Pathiratne, Chairman of PASSASIA graced the workshop as resource persons. The key-note address was delivered by Mr. Sudath Abeysekera, Chairman of the National Crafts Council.

The significance of this workshop was to provide the staff with the theoretical and practical training needed to carry out many activities online including registration of craftsmen, recruiting apprentice craftsmen for the training sector and submitting applications for craftsmen for the “Shilpa Abhimani” exhibition using modern technology.

Let’s plant a tree for a craft society…

H.E. the President too plants an Ebony tree

In parallel to the 72nd Independence Day celebrations held on the 04th of February, the National Crafts Council has launched an island wide Raw Material Planting Project. Trees such as Vetake, Kolon, Bamboo, Flax, Cane, Ebony and Mahogany which are useful in the field of handicrafts received prominence in the tree planting project. We most respectfully salute His Excellency the President for the encouragement given to the local handicraftsmen by planting an Ebony tree on that day.

In parallel to the launch of the “Freedom to the Beach”, the inauguration ceremony got underway at 8 a.m. at Mount Lavinia beach with the lighting of the oil lamp and the craftsmen of the National Crafts Council planted Vetake plants on the beach to mark the occasion, and the Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, Go Sri Lanka and a large number of school children participated in the event.

The plants were distributed by the Mr. Keerthi Udawatte, Attorney at-law, Deputy Mayor of Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council and Mr. Sudath Rohana, Chairman of the Independent Television Network and Mrs. Achala Gunawardena, Director of Go Sri Lanka who graced the occasion. Mr. Sudath Abeysekara, Chairman of the National Crafts Council who is also a well-known artist and Mrs.Chandramali Liyanage, Director were also present at the occasion.