The Socialist Youth Union (SYU) will launch its Youth Summit program under the theme “Youth Energy to Build the Nation” on May 16 in the Mirigama Divisional Secretariat area of Gampaha District.

Organizers said the initiative will expand across all Divisional Secretariat divisions island‑wide, with the second program scheduled to begin in Hambantota on May 17.

The announcement was made at a media briefing held today at the JVP headquarters in Battaramulla, attended by SYU National Organizer Eranga Gunasekara, Matara District Organizer Malshi Amasha, International Affairs Secretary Anjana Amarasinghe, and Education Secretary Mahesh Ambepitiya.

Gunasekara noted that the summit coincides with the 61st anniversary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), describing it as an opportunity to remember those who dedicated and sacrificed their lives for national aspirations.

He said the summit aims to strengthen youth involvement in rebuilding the economy, safeguarding democracy, and creating a new political culture.

Gunasekara stressed that young people must play a greater role in meeting national challenges, adding that the summit seeks to build a new generation committed to the country, democracy, and social solidarity.

The program will be expanded from divisional to district-level and eventually to a national scale, with organizers inviting youth across communities to join under the banner “Youth Energy to Build the Nation.” (Newswire)

The post SYU Youth Summit to launch on May 16 in Mirigama appeared first on Newswire.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce says all funds originally allocated for social activities in the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025 will be allocated to support relief efforts in Sri Lanka, following Cyclone Ditwah. 

Addressing the summit, Chairperson of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Krishan Balendra, said that continuing with the summit in this revised format is essential to fostering the collaboration, investment, and policy dialogue needed to drive an effective and inclusive recovery.

He further said that the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit was originally designed as a platform to advance economic growth and investment, but, in light of the recent disaster and the need to rebuild, the Board of the Chamber was of the view that it was necessary to move ahead with the summit, but with even greater meaning. 

The summit now serves as an essential forum to collectively reflect on the road to recovery, discuss strategies to strengthen national resilience, and reaffirm our shared commitment to rebuilding a stronger and more stable Sri Lanka. Our priority is to support the country’s recovery and the restoration of communities and livelihoods. The private sector has a critical role to play in this effort, and we remain steadfast in mobilizing our networks and resources to contribute meaningfully to long-term resilience and sustainable development, he said. 

Full statement : 

It is my great pleasure to warmly welcome you to the flagship event of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce –  the Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit.

Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin today’s proceedings, it is important that we pause to acknowledge the grave impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which has brought immense devastation across several parts of our country over the past days. We mourn the tragic loss of lives, and we stand with the thousands of families who have been displaced from their homes and whose livelihoods have been disrupted. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and all those who are still recovering from the aftermath of this disaster.

In the wake of this national crisis, the Chamber together with the generous support of our members have been working closely with Government agencies to coordinate urgent relief efforts. The unwavering resilience of Sri Lankans is evident in moments such as these. It is a pivotal time for the nation to come together, pooling our collective strength to restore lives, livelihoods, and stability.

The Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit was originally designed as a platform to advance economic growth and investment. In light of the recent disaster and the need to rebuild, the Board of the Chamber was of the view it was necessary in moving ahead with the summit but with even greater meaning. The summit now serves as an essential forum to collectively reflect on the road to recovery, discuss strategies to strengthen national resilience, and reaffirm our shared commitment to rebuilding a stronger and more stable Sri Lanka. Our priority is to support the country’s recovery and the restoration of communities and livelihoods. The private sector has a critical role to play in this effort, and we remain steadfast in mobilizing our networks and resources to contribute meaningfully to long-term resilience and sustainable development.

We will donate all funds originally allocated for social activities in the summit to support relief efforts. We believe that continuing with the summit in this revised format is essential to fostering the collaboration, investment, and policy dialogue needed to drive an effective and inclusive recovery.

This Summit is one of the most anticipated events on Sri Lanka’s corporate calendar, and it is a privilege for the Chamber to host this landmark gathering for the 25th consecutive year, since its inception in 2000. This year, we are proud to expand its scope by explicitly integrating the investment dimension, recognising that attracting sustainable and high-quality investment is central to Sri Lanka’s long-term economic transformation.

Accordingly, our theme this year — “Gateway to Growth: Asia’s Emerging Opportunity” — reflects both Sri Lanka’s potential and our collective aspiration to position the country more strongly within a rapidly evolving regional landscape.

We are deeply encouraged by the strong participation of over 800 delegates. We are extremely encouraged by the participation of over 100 foreign delegates and investors, thank you for travelling to Colombo to be with us. We know many of you are eager to gain deeper insights into Sri Lanka’s economic trajectory, reform progress, sectoral opportunities, and partnership potential. We hope that the conversations over the next two days will be productive, insightful, and inspiring.

Sri Lanka today stands on a clear and credible path of economic revival. After a period of immense challenge, we now see:

1. steady, broad-based growth,
2. a resurgence in exports, tourism, remittances, and investment,
3. fiscal consolidation and reforms that have restored stability,
4. completion of domestic debt restructuring,
5. inflation brought firmly under control, and
6. renewed confidence returning to markets and consumers alike.

International partners have also recognised this progress.

• Former IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath recently described Sri Lanka’s recovery as a “stand-out experience” and “remarkable progress within a short period.”
• The World Bank, in its latest Public Finance Review, emphasised that the scale and speed of Sri Lanka’s fiscal adjustment stand out “by historical and international standards.”

These reforms are translating into real activity on the ground, with growth now approaching 5% of GDP, underpinned by stronger investor sentiment.

For investors, the message is clear: Sri Lanka is once again open, stable, and ready for business. Our strategic location at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean — a short distance from India — positions us uniquely as a gateway to South Asia and the broader region.

Over the next two days, this Summit will:

• examine the macroeconomic outlook for Sri Lanka in the coming years;
• draw lessons from international experiences of countries that have emerged successfully from debt crises and implemented credible growth paths
• spotlight high-growth and high-potential sectors such as tourism, logistics, ports, exports, capital markets manufacturing, and technology;
• and bring together perspectives from global speakers representing Malaysia, Greece, the Netherlands, Australia, India, and many others — alongside leading voices from our multilateral, regional, and local institutions.

We are grateful to all resource persons — especially our moderators — for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their expertise with us.

I also wish to extend my sincere appreciation to our Summit Chair and Committee, for their strategic guidance; and the dedicated Chamber Summit team, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, navigating numerous challenges, to ensure the seamless execution of this event. 

As we embark on this 25th edition of the Summit, I extend my best wishes for meaningful dialogue, insightful analysis, and productive networking. May the outcomes of our discussions help shape credible policies, drive interest from our foreign participants into realized investments, and unlock the transformational growth that Sri Lanka urgently needs.

I also hope the Summit inspires both public and private sector leaders to act as reform champions — catalysts for progress, innovation, and long-term prosperity.

Thank you, and I wish you all an enriching and successful Summit. (Newswire)

The post Ceylon Chamber redirects Economic & Investment Summit funds to Cyclone Ditwah relief appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lanka’s enduring commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of its migrant workforce is underscored by a comprehensive system of protections, including mandatory insurance, contributory pensions, grievance redress mechanisms, and reintegration support, according to Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe.

Addressing the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha, Qatar, last week, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe outlined some of the policy and institutional initiatives taken by Sri Lanka to strengthen the governance of migration and enhance protection for workers abroad. 

Referring to the National Policy on Migration for Employment and its Action Plan (2023–2027), Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Labour outlined four core policy areas, stating that Sri Lanka firmly believes that labour migration should take place under transparent, government-to-government frameworks, ensuring that both workers and destination countries benefit through fair, safe, and dignified employment relationships.

He also stated that Sri Lanka was exploring ways to strengthen social security, particularly retirement benefits for workers, as this remains one of the major challenges, adding, “By working together with destination countries, we could address this issue.”

The Second World Summit for Social Development was held in Qatar from 4 to 6 November 2025. The Summit, which was held thirty years after the landmark 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, served as a pivotal platform for dialogue, cooperation and joint solutions and bringing together governments, international organizations, the UN, civil society, cooperatives, academia, the private sector and experts to strengthen international cooperation for inclusive social development.

In addition to attending the Plenary, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe met with Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, Qatar, Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al Thani, and discussed ways and means of strengthening cooperation between Sri Lanka and Qatar in the area of labour migration and initiatives to further enhance the welfare of Sri Lankan migrant workers in Qatar. 

Deputy Minister Jayasinghe also met with Undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development of the Republic of the Philippines, Adonis Sulit, and explored areas of possible cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Philippines in the area of labour and migrant workers’ welfare.

During his participation at the Summit, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe also attended sideline events as a panelist in the “Pathways out of Poverty: India’s Experience in Empowering the Last Mile” on the invitation of India and “Advancing Social Protection for Workers Across the GCC, South Asia & Africa Labour migration corridors” on the invitation by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Deputy Minister Jayasinghe was joined by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Sithara Khan, Ministers of the Mission, Kashyappa Ukwatte and Dharmasiri Wijewardhane, B. Vasanthan, Senior Assistant Secretary (Foreign Relations), Ministry of Labour and Third Secretary (Employment and Welfare), A.M.M. Umarath at the Summit, the bilateral meetings and the sideline events. (Newswire)

The post Sri Lanka highlights migrant worker protections at global summit appeared first on Newswire.