Environment protection and coral replanting will be the main themes during the Olympic Day celebration organized by the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) to be held on June 25 at Polhena beach in Matara.
The International Olympic Day falls on June 23 each but since its falls on a weekend, it was decided to stage their annual Olympic Day Run on Tuesday June 25, said NOCSL president Suresh Subramanium at a press conference held at Olympic House.
Among the significant features of this year’s Olympic Day Run is that the NOCSL and Sri Lanka’s sole surviving Olympic medal holder Susanthika Jayasinghe will exhibit her silver medal in public for the benefit of school children in Matara.
The chief guest at the event would be the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake.
This year too, the NOCSL is expecting the participation of over 1000 school children from schools adjacent to Matara, besides the customary art competition on the theme ‘Olympic Values’.
The pristine beach of Polhena will be a hive of activity in the morning when the NOCSL in its endeavour to become a global partner in environment protection and sustainability will launch its Coral Replanting project.
“Olympic Day Run celebrated around the world. Every year we go round the country to one place and do certain activities as instructed by the IOC. It is a celebration of the Olympic movement. Our aim is to promote sports through education. Since I also come from an area close to the sea, I thought why not we look at a different theme this,” said NOCSL secretary
general, Maxwell de Silva who was inspired by this project when he attended a sailing event in Crow island in Mattakkuliya.
“I talked to the Navy commander about coral replanting and he immediately grabbed the idea and said ‘Maxwell I have done this in the right places’. Navy came on board. Polhena is a beautiful place. Well protected like a small island and a virgin beach virtually,” he added on why Polhena was chosen.
The events will begin with a beach cleaning in the Polhena beach vicinity with the participation of several state institution personnel, besides the school children and their parents. In addition there will be Beach Kabaddi and Beach Volleyball matches.
“We are not doing this (Coral replanting) as a one-off case. We want to ensure this is sustainable. We also need the coast guard and environment authorites to come on board and do it,” said De Silva.
“Firstly we want to showcase the importance of environment and as a responsible organization we want to contribute to the country and also preserving our corals and environment. We feel that is one of our important objectives to protect the island, protect the world and whatever we do we
need to ensure we have a place to live in a sustainable way. I want to send a message to community to take care of environment not to pollute it, not only the land but the sea also,” he added. The organizers have already launched an open art competition for the schools in the Matara area on the theme ‘Give the coral another chance’ and the winners of this event will be given certificates and prizes. The NOCSL has also developed an information centre on Coral Preservation at the Polhena beach front.
The NOCSL has sought the guidance and assistance of different partners such as the National Aquatic Resource and Development Authority (NARA), Sri Lanka Navy with Coast Conservtion, Coast guard, Marine Environment Protection Authority, Ocean Resources Conservaton Association (ORCA),Tokyo Cement and the Wildlife Authority besides hoteliers and other stakeholders. The Olympic Day Run will conclude with a four kilometre walk from Polhena to Uyanwatte cricket ground in Matara.
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