Colombo, August 24 SLT-MOBITEL and Lanka Nature Conservationists (LNC) jointly organized a series of free monthly online conferences through the eSiphala of the SLT-Mobitel platform to raise awareness and educate about the country’s rich environmental heritage. Three conferences have been held recently on “COVID-19 and future conservation challenges”, “Recognizing commonly found poisonous and non-poisonous snakes” and “What if the mangros weren’t there? “. These were carried out by Sri Lanka’s leading ornithologist Vidyajothy, Professor Emeritus Sarath Kotagama, Professor of Environmental Sciences, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Mr. Mendis Wickramasinghe researcher, naturalist, nature photographer and author and professor Sevvandy Jayakody, senior lecturer. at Wayamba University, also chairman of the National Expert Committee on Mangroves, member of the Commonwealth Blue Carbon Initiative, respectively.

LNC is a voluntary, non-profit association of wildlife and nature enthusiasts and activists operating in Sri Lanka. It is an association of former members of the Association of Young Zoologists (YZA) who have come together to provide support for the protection of fauna, flora and natural ecosystems in Sri Lanka.

Committed to ensuring the protection and restoration of the natural environment for future generations as a responsible corporate citizen who believes in valuing and protecting Sri Lanka’s natural ecosystems, SLT-MOBITEL has partnered with LNC to raise awareness the public through a series of online conferences. The lectures are based on the theme “Earth is calling, are you listening? “ draw attention to biodiversity especially on nature conservation to protect the natural environment resources of Sri Lanka. “eSiphala from SLT-Mobitel ”, the online education platform aimed at enhancing the digital teaching and learning experience is used to facilitate these conferences.

Comment on the initiative Prabhath Dahanayake, Director of Marketing, SLT said, “Raising awareness about protecting our natural environment and resources is timely and important. We firmly believe that the lecture series provides an ideal platform for the public eagerly seeking accurate and scientific information. SLT-MOBITEL is deeply passionate about the protection of the environment and the organization of these conferences will allow society to become more involved in conservation efforts and contribute to the protection of our fragile ecosystems.

Sri Lanka is recognized as the 34th biodiversity hotspot in the world, with a high proportion of endemic species. However, due to lack of awareness, threats such as pollution, deforestation or climate change, the country’s precious ecosystems are endangered. The main objective of the organization of these sessions is to reach the public with precise information, to motivate citizens, to generate concrete actions for the protection and conservation of nature, to encourage responsibility towards protection of the environment in daily actions, to make decisions in the hope of developing responsible behavior. and increase enthusiasm for environmental protection.

Mr. Samantha Gunesekara, President of LNC, former Deputy Director of SL Customs states that, “LNC out of its future plans has given priority to specially educating the younger generation on the protection of the rich bio-diversity of the country. As SLT-Mobitel’s e-Siphala is an easy platform to reach a wide range of viewers of all age groups under one roof, LNC has partnered with SLT-MOBITEL to achieve its goal ” .

He added that “through this partnership we are able to identify and connect with eminent, internationally renowned researchers and scholars with high credibility and concerned with national interests. This partnership provided a greater opportunity and encouragement to create a mainstream platform for dialogue between enthusiasts and environmental experts, while sharing their experiences. This will improve knowledge to create a shared responsibility to protect our planet and conserve biodiversity ”.

Upcoming programs will take place on a monthly basis, every third Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Topics for discussion cover flora and fauna, the social and cultural ecosystem in Sri Lanka, and other conservation-related topics. The complete series will include 20 stimulating lectures. The lecture series is held in Sinhala and English, and professionals, many of whom are recognized around the world, will share their knowledge and experience. All interested parties are invited to participate in these scheduled conferences over the coming months through www.esifala.lk and be enriched by an exciting learning experience.

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