A unique journey, an exciting and productive year with delivered diverse programs, along with several international collaborations, occurred, and new ideas were seeded through LMGlobal.Org…

Dedicated to:
Ever Loving and Respecting Memory of Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s 107th Birthday…

 (December 16, 1917 – March 19, 2008)

“A hundred years ago, the eclectic telegram made possible – indeed, inevitable – the United States of America. The communication satellite will make equally inevitable a United Nations of Earth; let us hope that the transition period will not be equally bloody.” (1)

– Arthur C. Clarke, “First On the Moon” (1970)

by Bircan ÜNVER, LMGlobal.Org

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA – December 2023

Last year, around this time, I was in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
I was determined to visit where I was the last time in January 2006, which I only realized last year around this time in December 2023; this was also the last time I visited Sir Arthur Clarke at Barnes Place in Colombo. 
After 

eighteen years already had passed since then…



Around this time last year, my goal to visit Sri Lanka had three purposes…
To visit my friends there, along with a visit of Sir Arthur where he rests, and to meet with the 2023 J.U.C. Award winners students at Whyteleafe Performing Arts School in Colombo in Colombo so that I can also present to them as its outcome the book titled #HopeNeverFades.


Before arriving there, forth-and-back correspondences with the director of Whyteleafe Nalaka Swarnathilake due to the Season Holidays, and the last day at their school was December 16, 2023, which was my meeting with them was scheduled in the morning of December 16, 2023, that is the date, was also Sir Arthur’s 106th Birthday.



Based on my prior research, I found the name of the cemetery, General Cemetery Borella, where I decided to go there, followed by my meeting at the Whyteleafe Performing Arts Academy.


During my presentation at the school, I introduced the students and teachers of the book and 2025 J.U.C. Awards, along with briefly the Light Millennium Global Organization.
The students presented wonderful musical and dance performances and were warmly welcomed by the director, teachers, and all attending students.



Through this meeting and the J.U.C. Awards, I have made 50-plus young student friends along with the academic staff of the academy. Following the session, they also invited me to their play for the next day, which I went to and enjoyed very much, which was titled “Dreams,” which was cast by the students of the academy.

In the afternoon, I went to visit Sir Arthur’s resting place, where we also met later with Sir Arthur’s then Media Coordinator, science writer Nalaka Gunawardene, and prior I left Sri Lanka with Rohan DeSilva and Dottie Weerasooriya.

Especially the date that we met with Nalaka G., it was a pouring rainy day, and we decided to meet again before I left Sri Lanka for India with Rohan De Silva, who was personal assistant to Sir Arthur, and Dottie Weerasooriya, by then who was secretary of Sir Arthur.

This plan was realized on December 30, 2023, when we met at Sir Arthur’s Office in Barnes Place, Colombo 7. 
So far, my first two goals were accomplished in full of emotions and unforgettable memories from the time with Sir Arthur, and I made new friends as well, in particular through my meeting at the Whyteleafe Performing Arts Academy. 



Initially, in 2006, 
it was my promise to Sir Arthur to visit him again a day before I departed from Sri Lanka. After a long delay, I visited him again, but at this time, I met him spiritually. 



In early 2002, in particular with Julie Mardin’s contributed piece to the organization, we dedicated the Lightmillennium.Org’s 2023 New Year issue to Sir Arthur and wished him many more millennia for his 85th Birthday, which was already posted for his 85th Birthday before Dec. 16, 2002.
(2, 3)

After 22 years have gone by, I, on behalf of the Light Millennium Global, would like to wish him a thousand years more on his 107th Birthday.

During this trip, I was able to go to Trincomalee in the North of Sri Lanka, where I was not able to go there in 2002, 2005, and 2006 due to the civil war in the country at those periods, which lasted for 30 years.
 I loved Trincomalee and visited Sir Arthur and Hector Ekanayake’s jointly formed Underwater Safaris (1956) there.


Back in Colombo, I have also learned that Hector Ekanayake (b: 1939), who passed away on March 22, 2023, where he rests side by side with Sir Arthur at their family cemetery in the General Cemetery Borella, including Ekayaneke’s mother, father, and brother.

 Rest of Peace to you all there.



I also had an opportunity to interview Hector Ekanayake on the “Underwater Safaris” during my first visit, which was then posted in the Lightmillennium under the March-April 2023 issue. (6)
Over the years, Hector and Rohan were very supportive.
From time to time, they shared with me Sir Arthur’s photos via emails based on some special occasions and visits, such as Buz Aldrin and Morgan Freeman.

Before leaving Sri Lanka for India, our pre-decided meeting took place with Rohan and Dottie on December 30, 2023, and then Nalaka G. joined us at Barnes Place in Colombo 7. It was felt as if in the old days at Sir Arthur’s office.

 And, it was as if Sir Arthur was with all of us, smiling and making jokes with his robot toy dog and his Pepsi on his lap through a big framed photo on his office wall. We also had his mask at the center of us all in a group photo gathered behind his desk and wheelchair.

RECONNECTING WITH SARVODAYA MOVEMENT

Just on the very first day of the New Year of 2024, I had an opportunity to visit the founder and former president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne (5 November 1931 – 16 November 2024) and President of Sarvadoya Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne at the Sarvodaya Headquarters in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

In 2007, we dedicated an issue to the Sarvodaya Movement through an exclusive interview with Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne. Initially, I was introduced to Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne through the Office of Sir Arthur Clarke, which included the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT), which I could not revisit in 2023.

In that my pure third goal was to reconnect with the Sarvodaya Movement, which is the largest and oldest grassroots organization in Sri Lanka (1956), where I had an opportunity to join their Tsunami relief efforts in 2005, along with interviewing Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne in November 2006.
 (5)


I would not think that was the last time that I would meet with Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, who left this Earth on April 16, 2024.

 Rest in Peace.

Before Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne’s departure on April 16, 2024, based on that particular brief visit on the very first day of 2024, Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne was our Keynote Speaker at the fourth consecutive LMGlobal.Org’s World Water Day global panels that was dedicated for #WaterForPeace in 2024.
 


Since my first to Sri Lanka in late 2002, I consider Sri Lanka to be my third home country, where I’ve welcomed, and doors were opened that have led to building long-lasting friends there and making new ones through the J.U.C. Awards as well.

Overall, I accomplished my initial three goals by visiting Sir Arthur’s resting place, reconnecting with my long-term friends in Sri Lanka, along with reconnecting with the Sarvodaya Movement, which also included visiting Underwater Safaris in Trincomalee, which gave me a new idea to go back and spend some time there when I can afford it!

References:

1. From the 2007 Slide Presentation (NYC): “Two Universal Men: RUMI & CLARKE” December 5, 2007
2. Dedication: A Happy 85th Birthday Dear Sir Arthur C. Clarke…
3. Science – Redefining our Religion and our Fairytales
   ARTHUR C. CLARKE: Links the ancient with the futuristic and shows how they might be compatible…
 by Julie Mardin
4. Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement
5. Dr. A.T. ARIYARATNE: “We are one humanity that we are progressing
…”
6. Hector EKANAYAKE: “Underwater Safaris” and how it all started…