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The first-ever Sri Lankan English literature and language festival organised by the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, was held on 21–22 June 2025. The event featured Q&A sessions with renowned writer-academics Sumathy Sivamohan and Vivimarie Vanderpoorten, a screening of short films by Anomaa Rajakaruna followed by a discussion, a memory walk through the Faculty and surrounding areas with Professor , a panel discussion on Sri Lankan English, and interactive workshops with children’s literature writers Nadishka Aloysius and Professor . A student-only workshop was also conducted by Ramya Chamalie Jirasinghe.
The festival concluded with an open-mic session, where students and members of the public shared their poetry and creative writing. Highlighting the University’s commitment to public engagement, the event was student-led and student-focused, offering free entry for students and concessionary rates for others.
Over 70 students from around 15 schools and approximately 70 university students participated in the two-day event. Importantly, the event was graced by the participation of Professor , Vice Chancellor of the University, underscoring the university’s strong support for creative and academic engagement in the arts. Reid Lit Chats was organised by a 32-member student committee (with a core team of 13), guided by Co-Chairs Senior Professor Neluka Silva and Ruhanie Perera, along with Rasudula Disanayake and Ravihari Ravendra Kumar, the Department’s temporary lecturers.