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CSA General Meeting with Speaker followed by mini Social
27 August 2023 @ 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Notice of Meeting
Meeting on Sunday 27 August 2023 at 3.00 pm (instead of usual 6.30 pm),
at Pennant Hills Community Centre, Main Hall, Level 1.
We are honoured to be hosting the new High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Australia, Her Excellency Mrs Chitranganee Wagiswara, as the Speaker at our General Meeting for August. Her Excellency’s CV and a photo are attached for information.
The meeting time has been changed to 3.00 pm to enable the High Commissioner to return to Canberra that same evening.
The subject of the talk to be given by the High Commissioner is –
“Sri Lanka – Road to Recovery: Challenges and Opportunities”
We are very privileged to be able to hear from the HC on this important topic as we are all in the community interested in developments in our motherland of Sri Lanka post the economic crisis of 2022.
The program and details for the meeting are:
3.00 pm Start
3.15 pm HC arrives
3.30 pm HC begins Talk
4.30 pm Social – High Tea (short-eats, cake, tea/coffee, soft drinks)
6.00 pm Function ends
Dress: Smart Casual
Cost: $15 per person
Bookings Cut off date: Friday 18 August
Bookings & Payment at Booking by bank transfer to Secretary’s nominated Account:
Contact Presenji Jayawickrema, CSA Secretary –
Mobile: 0421 560 282
Email: presenji@tpg.com.au
Since we anticipate there will be a demand for places, bookings with payments will need to be on a strictly first booked and paid basis, to be fair to all attendees, since there is a limitation of 160 maximum accommodation at venue.
We look forward to welcoming guests to our CSA meeting.
Pauline Gunewardene
President, Ceylon Society of Australia
CV OF HER EXCELLENCY CHITRANGANEE WAGISWARA
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR SRI LANKA IN AUSTRALIA
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Academic Qualifications
Chitraganee Wagiswara (nee Amaratunga) had her Primary and Secondary education at Holy Family Convent, Colombo 4. She read for a Degree in Bachelor of Commerce (Special) in 1979 from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Her further qualifications are a Post Graduate Diploma in International Studies from the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies in Colombo in 1986, and a Diploma in International Relations from the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva in 1986/1987.
Career Highlights
Mrs Wagiswara joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in March 1981 and has had an illustrious and long career, reaching the pinnacle when she was appointed to the position of Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to July 2016.
She has held the position of Head of Mission in the following countries:
High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Singapore December 1999 to January 2003
Ambassador for Sri Lanka in France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO May 2005 to September 2008
High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Canada December 2009 to March 2014
High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in India September 2016 to October 2018
She has also served as Third Secretary in Rome, as First Secretary/Counsellor in Ottawa, and as Minister/Deputy High Commissioner in London.
In between her overseas assignments, Mrs Wagiswara has held positions as Assistant Director – Administration and Publicity Divisions, Assistant Director – Hon. Foreign Ministers Bureau, Deputy Director – South Asia and SAARC Division, Director – West Division, Director General – Economic Affairs, and subsequently Director General – South Asia and SAARC, Additional Secretary – Policy Planning and Middle East and Africa, Additional Secretary – Economic Affairs, East Asia and the Pacific, and Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Work Experience and Responsibilities
Work in the Sri Lanka Foreign Missions involved maintaining and promoting bilateral and multilateral relations with the respective host countries and international organisations, networking with political authorities and officials, business leaders, media personnel and other relevant parties, in addition to the other general responsibilities of the head of Mission.
At the Foreign Ministry and when serving in Missions abroad, she has been included in delegations representing Sri Lanka at bilateral and multilateral meetings, and at UNESCO, FAO, UN, SAARC, ARF and CHOGM.
Mrs Wagiswara has been a Board member of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations 2019-2020 and a Commissioner in the Salaries and Cadre Commission 2019-2020. She is also a Member in the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Geopolitical Cartographer Think Tank. In August 2022, Mrs Wagiswara was appointed as a member of the Council of the University of Colombo.
