Five Sri Lankan artists honoured
with BUNKA (CULTURAL) AWARDS
The 16th Bunka (Cultural) Awards organized by the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund was held on Sunday 8th November 2009 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre Colombo 07. Picture:L to R : Ms. Jayani Senanayake, Mr. Lakshman Joseph de Saram, Mr. Kasun Kalhara Jayawardhana, Mr. Abdul Rahim Noorul Ameerkhan, Mr. Prasannajith Abeysuriya, Hon. Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage, Mr. Kaoru Shimazaki, Chargé d’ affaires, Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka and Mr. Yoshiaki Kato, Co-Chairperson of the Selection Committee of the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund The Bunka Awards are presented annually by the Fund, which was established in 1993, on the initiative of the Japanese Solidarity Association and the Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan. For the past fifteen years 88 such awards have been presented to mid-career individuals and organizations on the basis of their creative activities in culture and the arts, in order to encourage and promote individual and collective talent in these fields in Sri Lanka.

This year the following five mid-career Sri Lankan artists received the prestigious Bunka (Cultural) Awards.

· Mr. Prasannajith Abeysuriya - Drama & Film
· Mr. Abdul Rahim Noorul Ameerkhan - Music
· Mr. Kasun Kalhara Jayawardhana - Music
· Mr. Lakshman Joseph de Saram - Music
· Ms. Jayani Senanayake - Drama & Film

Hon. Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage graced the occasion as Chief Guest while Mr. Yoshiaki Kato, Co-Chairperson of the Selection Committee of the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund, Mr. Kaoru Shimazaki, Chargé d’ affaires, Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka and a distinguished gathering of invitees including several Sri Lankan cultural artists were also present on this occasion.

Apart from the performances and presentations by the award winners, the highlight of the ceremony was a special guest performance by the Sri Lanka-Japan Joint String Quartet featuring Sri Lankan and Japanese musicians, Mr. Ananda Kithsiri Dabare, (Violin), Mr. Satish Casie Chetty (Violin), Mr. Shogo Kanamori (Viola) and Mr. Shinichi Murata (Violoncello), who entertained the audience with some fabulous Western and Japanese music.
More: http://www.lk.emb-japan.go.jp