Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

Easter Triduum: The three days that rewrote time

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Easter Triduum is the summit of the Liturgical Year. Although sometimes overshadowed by Easter Sunday celebrations, the three days...

Where does true liberation for women begin?

Opinion Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
International Women’s Day is often centred on rights, representation, education and economic independence of women. Each day we see...

Why International Women’s Day must be about economic empowerment

Opinion Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Excerpts of an interview with Banan Massoud ElSayed, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation at Education Above All Foundation Every year...

How a stipend scheme brings children back to classrooms in Balochistan, Pakistan

Perceptive Lens Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
On most mornings in Panjgur, a dusty town in southern Balochistan, the school bell rings long before the day’s...

Layered histories: The Commonwealth’s Many Sandwich Cultures

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Sliced bread with a filling what we commonly call as a sandwich is often treated as Britain’s most enduring...

Celebrating Mary’s Divine Motherhood

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Catholics celebrated the feast of Mary’s divine motherhood on the 1st of January. Christmas spotlight is widened by the...
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St. Sebastian

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The feast of St. Sebastian, the martyr was celebrated on the 20th of January by the Catholic Church. Saint...

English as the Commonwealth’s most valuable asset—and its quiet constraint

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
English is the lingua franca of the Commonwealth and s considered its most valuable asset. A shared language supports...

Oceans at risk: The Commonwealth’s blue-economy dilemma

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
From the ancient times, ocean has been vital for humanity. The sea is a massive driver of the global...

Great White Sharks at Risk of Extinction in the Mediterranean, Researchers Say

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) is the largest living macropredatory shark and fish. It is identified as a...

Why the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated after Christmas

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
After the celebrations on Christmas Day, the Church gently asks us to pause and have a closer look at...

Saint Stephen: A Witness of Courage and Grace

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
On December 26th Church celebrates the feast of Saint Stephen. While the festivities are still on going, the Church...

Story of Christmas

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
During Christmas time, there is a special warmth that fills the air. With lights glowing at every house, every...

Aussie style innovations that made history

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Australia is well known for its beaches, wildlife and its laid-back beauty. There is more to what lies behind...

Climate Frontlines of the Commonwealth: Where the Climate Crisis Is Already Home

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
When the world talk about climate change, many nations still discussed it in the future tense. But across the...

Feast of Saint Peter Canisius

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Church celebrated the feast of Saint Peter Canisius on December 21. Saint Peter Canisius, was born as Peter Kanijs...

The nativity scene and Christmas tree open in St. Peter’s Square

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
On Monday, December 15, Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governatorate of the Vatican City State, lighted up and...

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Church celebrates today the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This feast is preceded by the Feast of...

The Great EV Reset: Why Electric Cars Are About to Become Truly Affordable

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Electric vehicles were regarded as promising signals of the future with its sleek, quiet and ecologically features but much...

Feast of Our Lady of Loreto

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
On December 10, the church commemorates Our Lady of Loreto, referring to the Holy House of Loreto, where Mary...

Feast of St. Juan Diego

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Juan Diego was born in Cuautitlán (now a part of Mexico City) in 1474. He was given the name...

The Pope’s visit to Turkey and Lebanon

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Pope Leo XIV travelled to Turkey and Lebanon on his first foreign apostolic visit recently, with the aim of...

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Each year on December 8, the Church observes the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, one of the major feast...

The Titans of Wealth: Lives and Empires of the World’s Top 10 Richest People

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
As the year 2025 comes to an end, Forbes’ December 2025 ranking of the world’s richest people has once...

Feast of St. Francis Xavier

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
St. Francis Xavier was born in the Kingdom of Navarre on April 7, 1506. Francis was sent to study...

A Christmas Gift From the Alps: Vatican’s 2025 Tree & Nativity

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
A magnificent 25-meter (about 88-foot) spruce from the province of Bolzano's Alpine forests now stands tall in the centre...

AI is here. But where’s the human touch?

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
What if an algorithm is your doctor? Or if your curator of art is a machine. A drone is...

Feast of Silvestro Guzzolini

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Silvestro Guzzolini was an Italian Catholic priest who founded the Silvestrini. He served as a canon at Osimo, but...

Sri Lanka and India take music and dance beyond the culture

Entertainment Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Music and dance speak a language older than any word we’ve ever invented—one that doesn’t need subtitles or explanations....

Australia’s bold gamble on banning social media for children under 16

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
A seismic shift, one that could redefine childhood in the world's 13th-largest economy, Australia is underway. Australia will enforce...

Pope Leo’s historic digital encounter with youth

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
  His Holiness Pope Leo XIV addressed more than 16,000 young people gathered at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC)...

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Today, the church celebrates the feast of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions. Although one man, a priest gives his...

Feast of St. Cecilia: Guardian of music and musicians

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr on November 22. She is the patron saint...

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated annually on November 21st. This feast commemorates...

Hollywood comes to Holy Sea

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Pope Leo XIV held an audience with Hollywood icons including Spike Lee, Cate Blanchett, Greta Gerwig and several others...

Smog chokes up Delhi again

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Delhi, the national capital of India, witnessed the worst air quality on Tuesday with AQI (AIr Quality Index) plunging...

The feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
On 9th of November, the church celebrated the anniversary of the Dedication of Rome’s Lateran Basilica in 324 A.D....

Tallest church in the world!

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Sagrada Família in Barcelona, the iconic basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí, is now the tallest church in the world....

Saint Who Set Captives Free: Legacy of Saint Leonard of Noblac

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Saint Leonard, patron saint for captives, childbirth, imprisoned people, locksmiths, prisoners of war, women in labor, was born in...

Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Saint Charles Borromeo was born on October 2, 1538 at the castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore near Milan....

How a Small Loan Sparked a Big Dream in Rural India

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Thirty-five-year-old, Manishaben Damor from Dahod had a dream to open a small kirana (grocery) store that could support her...

Solemnity of All Saints

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day...

Why do we pray for the dead in November?

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
  Comments by Rev. Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, Internet Media Ministry, St. Anthony’s Bible Academy (SABA) In the month of...

Hope, Mission, and Martyrdom: The Feast of Saints Jude and Simon

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Simon are two of the least known Apostles. St. Jude known as Jude Thaddeus...

Commonwealth Inventions: India’s creative legacy that shaped the world

Asia Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Asia   Commonwealth Inventions: India’s creative legacy that shaped the world   Ruwanthi Abeyakoon   The ancient culture, spiritual traditions and rich heritage is...

Feast of Pope St. John Paul II

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Karol Wojtyła was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. He lost his mother when he was nine. When he...

Peter To Rot: Papua New Guinea’s first saint

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Peter To Rot was canonized as the first saint of Papua New Guinea on October 19th at St. Peter's...

Pope Leo XIV canonizes 7 new saints, including first from Venezuela and Papua New Guinea

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Pope Leo XIV proclaimed seven new saints on Sunday, 19th October before a large gathering at St. Peter’s Square....

When rainforests start emitting carbon, world must wake up!

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Once among the world's most reliable carbon vaults, Australia’s tropical rainforests have now changed its role from an absorber...

Johnny Walker: The Pope who captured hearts believers and non-believers

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Rev. Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, Internet Media Ministry, St. Anthony’s Bible Academy (SABA) shares interesting insights on Pope...

Fight Back Dementia: 14 Avoidable Risks

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Most people hear the word dementia at a diagnosis when the condition is irreversible. The researchers reveal that it...

Miracle of the Sun at Fatima

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Fatima is a small city in Portugal. In 1917, a miracle in Fatima made this city the heart of...

Alston Koch Appointed as Commonwealth Union Envoy to Australia and the Pacific Region

Press Releases Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Colombo, Sri Lanka – 24th September 2025 – The Commonwealth Union (CU) is privileged to announce the appointment of...

World Alzheimer’s Month: Breaking the Silence on a Growing Global Epidemic

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
This year September marked the 14th anniversary of World Alzheimer’s Month. A global campaign to raise awareness about dementia...

Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
On October 2nd, Catholics around the world celebrated the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. Rev. Fr. Don Anton...

St. Therese of the Child Jesus

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Catholic Church celebrated the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus on October 01st. She was a Carmelite...

Feast of the Holy Archangels

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Every year, on September 29, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Holy Archangels. The Catechism of the Catholic...

Leading with Vision: The Global Journey of Sundar Pichai

Commonwealth Diaspora Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
It’s been a decade since Sundar Pichai took the reins as CEO of Google. How did this Indian-born American...

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina is celebrated on 23rd September. St. Padre Pio was an Italian priest...

From Loan to Leadership: How Sangeeta Built a Thriving Grocery Store with Pasio

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Sometimes, all it takes is one brave step and the right support to change a family’s future. For Sangeeta...

The Call of Matthew: From Tax Collector to Gospel Writer

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
(Excerpts from an interview with Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, St. Anthony’s Bible Academy, SABA)   On the twenty first of...

St. Joseph of Cupertino: The Flying Saint of Humble Faith

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Feast of St. Joseph of Cupertino was celebrated on 17th September. He is the patron saint of air travelers,...

Saint Robert Bellarmine: One of the most brilliant of his age

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Robert Bellarmine, the Patron Saint of Catechists and Catechumens on September...

Satya Nadella – Reimagining Microsoft for the AI Age

Commonwealth Diaspora Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
"Empathy makes you a better innovator. If I look at the most inspiring moments in my own life, it...

Models of Faith for Today’s Youth: Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis Canonized

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass and canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis in Saint Peter’s...

Saint Teresa of Calcutta: Light for Our Times

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Saint Teresa of Calcutta devoted her entire life to serving “the poorest of the poor.” In 1950, she founded...

Food and Faith: Rituals behind what we eat

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Human beings intake food to nourish the body. Have you ever thought how food nourishes our soul?  In almost...

From Dreams to Enterprises: Pasio empowers Sri Lanka’s Young Entrepreneurs

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Surangi Gamage, 30 year old tailor and a baker from Ratnapura, left her job of 14 years at a...

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
(Excerpts from an interview with Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, St. Anthony’s Bible Academy, SABA) The four ancient Marian antiphons...

The Burnout Generation: Are We All Just Tired?

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Burnout is an invisible epidemic that is sweeping through the globe, at present. Once burnout was thought to be...

Prayer & Meditation: Are they just for the devout?

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
For centuries, persons who engage in spiritual practices and rituals such as prayer and meditation have been seen as...

Choked by plastic: a catastrophe we cannot ignore

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
One of the most revolutionary material found in recent times, popular for its versatility and durability is none other...

Nigeria’s Abuja National Mosque: A Symbol of Faith, Culture, and Unity

Faiths Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Mosques around the world have fascinated people with their beauty and importance. Some mosques are not just places built...

World birthrates fall not from choice, but from constraint

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
From a little more than five children per woman in the 1950s to about 2.3 today, global fertility has...

Renaissance of Rail: How luxury train travel is gaining fame Worldwide

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Traveling by train has always been a fascinating experience, infused into our lives from childhood nursery rhymes like `Down...

`Habemus Papam’; American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV

Lead_Story Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
After days of mourning came a moment of hope. A sudden cheer erupted around St. Peter’s Square yesterday as...

Kashmir’s Dying Water Springs: A Crisis in the Making

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Kashmir's unspoiled water springs have been a lifeline for its people for ages, supporting agriculture and biodiversity while also...

Another Feather in Her Cap: Baroness Patricia Scotland’s Latest Honor as Senior Headwoman

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth was installed as the Senior Headwoman Butambo of Bweengwa Village in the...

Whirlwind: Pioneering Sri Metal and Breaking Boundaries with Global Reach

Entertainment Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
In the midst of Sri Lanka’s darkest chapter—a nation grappling with a civil war fueled by division and fear—a...

Diabetes in Sri Lanka: An Alarming Rise and Urgent Call for Action

Asia Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
(An interview with Professor Prasad Katulanda MBBS, MD, FRCP (Lon), FCCP, FACE, DPhil (oxon) Professor & Head, Department of Clinical Medicine,...

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey -Shaping a Resilient Commonwealth

Lead_Story Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey - A four-term national legislator and a trusted member of the ECOWAS parliament, this seasoned and...

New Era for the Commonwealth: Who will lead next?

Lead_Story Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Commonwealth Secretariat, the main institution of the Commonwealth of Nations, is led by the Commonwealth Secretary-General. The Secretary-General...

Embracing the Change: Navigating Menopause with Confidence and Care

Healthcare Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Can you explain what menopause is and at what age women typically experience it? The menopause is defined as no...

India’s Leading Philanthropist and Tech Visionary – Shiv Nadar

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Features/personalities - Shiv Nadar, a name identical with the rise of India's IT industry, is much more than just...

Final curtain closes on Dame Maggie Smith’s extraordinary life and legacy

Lady Commonwealth Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
(Lady Commonwealth/ Feature) The renowned British actress Dame Maggie Smith, who was recognized for her broad and remarkable career...

Aryaman Birla: Blending Sports and Entrepreneurship with Grace and Ambition

Features Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
(Features/ Personalities/ India Region) The names of the wealthiest cricket players that spring to mind are Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj...

Earth’s new cosmic visitor 

Environment Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
(Features/ Environment) Earth's gravitational pull is going to momentarily turn a small asteroid into a "mini-moon." On September 29,...

Shaik Abdul Hameed: First Indian Chairman of the Commonwealth Union Tenpin Bowling Network

Asia Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Shaik Abdul Hameed, a trailblazer in Indian ten-pin bowling, has achieved yet another milestone by being appointed as the...

Australian Court decides `What is a woman?’

Pacific Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Australia - In a historic ruling that tested the interpretation and scope of the Sex Discrimination Act, a judge...

Curfew silences Dhaka, SC scraps job quota 

Asia Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
A controversial quota system for government job candidates was rolled back by Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Sunday, providing a...

Deadly protest in Bangladesh

Asia Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
As the violent conflicts between students and police persist, a High Security Alert has been issued for the entire...

Commonwealth Secretariat support for Hurricane Beryl relief

Canada and Caribbean Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Commonwealth Secretariat has responded to the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall on Caribbean islands as...

GRENADA DISASTER RELIEF FUND ACTIVATED

Canada and Caribbean Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The High Commissioner for Grenada in the UK, H.E. Rachér Croney states a relief fund has been activated in...

Sunak’s political odyssey – From Eat Out to Help Out, to moving out

Europe Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Yesterday's election delivered a surprising twist as Rishi Sunak, faced a stunning defeat, signaling a seismic shift in political...

Beryl continues to wreak havoc

Canada and Caribbean Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Strong winds and rain from Hurricane Beryl devastated the Caribbean island of Jamaica, bringing down trees and seriously damaging...

HALF A CENTURY OF ENGINEERING BRILLIANCE

Science & Tech Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The National Engineering Research & Development Center (NERDC) of Sri Lanka serves as a catalyst for technological advancement and...

Solve the mystery of the moonstone with Diana de Gunzburg

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Diana de Gunzburg skillfully navigates the mysterious worlds of storytelling leaving readers on the edge of their seats and...

Diane de Gunzburg reads her world-famous trilogy 

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Aura Beach Villa 77 Galle Road Pitiwella on Sunday, 28th January 2024, at 5:30 PM with Cocktails and Barbeque:...

Galle Literary Festival 2024

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Galle Literary Festival is an annual literary festival held in the historic coastal town of Galle, Sri Lanka....

Gourmet Galle

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Gourmet Galle, a 12 week-long gourmet festival up and down the south coast of Sri Lanka. As a partner...

Matara Festival for the Arts (MFA)

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Embark on a journey through the kaleidoscope of creativity as the inaugural Matara Festival for the Arts (MFA) sets...

Rhythms of Paradise, Koggala

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Step into the heartbeat of a lively festival, where the pounding rhythm of echoing beats fills the air and...

Southern Book Fair

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Dates: 19th – 28th January 2024 Venue: Galle Town Hall and Grounds Launched by the Commonwealth Publishers Network, and in conjunction...

An enchanting Prelude to the Galle Literary Festival 19th – 21st January, 2024

Galle Concerto 2024 Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
The Galle Literary Festival, an annual event in Galle, Sri Lanka, is a prestigious gathering that brings together diverse...

Navigating the maze of study abroad destinations

Education Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Studying abroad is becoming a more appealing option for those seeking to further their education and develop personally as...

Begin your global journey with Regent Educonnect

Education Ruwanthi Abeyakoon -
Ruwanthi Abeyakoon Embarking on a journey of cultural discovery and intellectual enrichment is a life-changing event that provides new opportunities...