History is more than a list of dates and names. It is breaking bread with the dead and asking them not only “What?” but “Why?”
by Anwar A Khan writing from Dhaka
Hail to the birth of Daily Sri Lanka Guardian
Good morning and hail to the birth of this esteemed online daily English newspaper. It celebrated its 12th Anniversary milestone on August 2007 – 2019 as the entire family belonging to it gathered in its office to mark this grand occasion. This newspaper community got up with a wide range of events to get them out and mingling while enjoying some of the finer things in life, such as, good music, great food, fun and so many other things with éclat.
It was a surreal moment
The writer of this piece would like to hold dear of the sound relationship between SLG and him. I am very proud of collecting experiences and memories of eminent, genial and well-disposed journalists, staffers and many more there. It was a surreal moment for me and for many. Even so, had I been in Sri Lanka then, I would be at SLG office to pay my rich tribute to everybody there, and I was ready to walk down everybody’s desk to personally talk to them. I hope I would feel a sunbeam there on this auspicious occasion. SLG is a treehouse so that one can see the sun oneself.
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Related Story: The Guardian Story by Nilantha Ilangamuwa
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Iconic English daily
SLG is the iconic English newspaper of Sri Lanka, detailing the lives and homes of the poor, rich, famous, or aristocratic and for all. The spotlight they shine on causes close to their hearts is commendable and they are gifted with the same humanity and empathetic qualities. They also transcend age groups – appealing as much to younger generations as to the old. Long may it continue!
It has intensely luminous surface of a star
SLG can be compared with the big, glossy and burnished inside information that they can pride themselves on producing in their daily! They offer a trusted environment for all readers, writers… to showcase an aspect of their life in greater depth than any print media allows. It is like photosphere.
It is beatifying that SLG starts its 12th anniversary
Readers like me were thrilled that SLG started its 12th anniversary with a genuinely historic event. It is sure to inspire many and give momentum to the rise of a vast audience in their place. We have old newspapers for every special anniversary celebration. Whether you are celebrating a Silver, Pearl, Ruby or Golden anniversary, SLG anniversary splendidly marks the occasion. Since the founding of SLG in August2007, it has moved beyond the newspaper house and become the true language of readers of English newspaper. The day is another landmark for its majesty!
SLG, a name is a testament
Sri Lanka Guardian, a name is a testament of which they are, who they will become and to whom they belong. I believe it was founded to develop the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind in full swing. It works to create inclusive knowledge societies and empower local communities by increasing access to, preservation and sharing of information and knowledge in all of the newspaper’s fields of work.
SLG’s thrust to create knowledge societies
Its thrust is to create knowledge based societies which have its base on the conviction that universal access to information is essential to building peace, sustainable economic development, and intercultural dialogue. Therefore, it has created such an environment to promote openness in content, technology, and processes through awareness raising, policy formulation and capacity building. Central to its mandate of promoting peace and intercultural dialogue, SLG also supports the preservation of documentary heritage by strengthening existing preservation frameworks, and emphasises long-term preservation of digitised and digitally-born information. It delivers its contributions for the enjoyment and knowledge of future and old generations alike.
To prevent violent extremism
Changes brought about by the rapid development of ICTs not only opened wonderful opportunities to humankind but also posed unprecedented ethical challenges. The ability to express one’s self freely and globally has caused one of the major dilemmas regarding ethical challenges in the 21st century, for along with the benefits of a digitally connected world have come the threats of misuse and abuse, the explicit prejudice, lack of mutual respect and radicalisation. SLG presents reports and articles which are aimed at providing effective response to prevent violent extremism. Its position is clear – it must be a platform for positive engagement, peace, promoting respect for human rights and dignity, enabling dialogue and mutual understanding.
SLG’s essence
Throughout its 12 years’ history, all its appendages have made important works presenting their vision, ideas and envisaged roles for the newspaper and its mandate to construct the defences of peace and build a culture of soft power in the service of journalism, education, the sciences, culture and communication. These are important elements of SLG’s essence.
12th anniversary of daily Sri Lanka Guardian displayed
At the national level, it is considered a source of people in rich culture, and in the formation of high-quality professionals in the arena of journalism. It is also a recognised symbol of higher learning in journalism. Specifically, SLG activities provide specialised knowledge and foster alliances to strengthen national and international leaderships and capacity to deliver quality journalistic news reports, editorial pieces and write-ups for all.
Its discourses are cornerstones in modern political and social thought
SLG’s discourses are cornerstones in modern political and social thought and make a strong case for democratic government, good governance and social empowerment. Every branch of this newspaper carries some tautological burthen for amelioration for our plebeian people through its staggeringly journalistic pathways. In their land fear is dead; the young are no longer young. Sometimes reflective, recollecting the years spent together, such an anniversary of the country’s one of the leading English newspapers marks the passage of time, and the people connected with it shall endure.
Huge hours and spaces between us growing smaller and smaller
When we can no longer walk or explore, we decide to wear the maps and would sit talking, pointing to places, sometimes touching mountains, canyons, deserts on each other’s body, and that is how we fall in love again, sitting next to each other in the office of SLG that is like our home, writing articles with crooked words, crooked lines we handed back and forth, the huge hours and spaces between us growing smaller and smaller. The glorious symphony has the need of pause and interval of peace. Some subtle signal bids and all sweet sounds would be heard in this day of remembrance as to how this daily has maturated.
Writers get inspiration
Writers get inspiration from all sorts of places, and for me, that inspiration comes from some daily newspapers like daily SLG. On that day,I was twice blessed with the kindness of large people’s gathering. Let SLG keep us alive with the peace and show us the light of abode of peace. Blessed is it. Let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sickness, joy.
SLG promotes ethical concepts
It seeks to promote ethical concepts, the notion of the balance between the spirit and the body, moderation and prevention of prejudice and violence, environmental conservation as well as global ethical standards. It is worth emphasising that all views and ideas which this newspaper advocates remain relevant and important. Their intellectual configuration conforms to classical models by balanced judgments, by formulating strong opinions, played briefly through a concentrated expression.
Strengthening intercultural dialogue
The celebration of the anniversary will support daily SLG’s objectives of strengthening intercultural dialogue for the rapprochement of cultures, promoting of heritage and fostering creativity, as well as disseminating and exchanging information from local to global level.
Philosophy of let us love nobly, and live, and add again…
Let us love nobly, and live, and add again years and years, till we attain. To write threescore; this is the 12th of SLG’s reign. Such an anniversary has a moral dimension beyond that of reflecting on the goodness of a newspaper’s life. They remind the faithful that ours, too, is an only life, and that we must gather our rosebuds while we may. Anniversaries are naturally forward looking and force people to reflect on their personal past. For most of us, this can be painful, the arctic realisation that we have wasted precious years, “the time torn off unused.” It is what the classical world saw as a carpe diem moment. That is, seize the day before it is too late. It is the moral response to time ticking away.
History is more than a list of dates and names
History is more than a list of dates and names. It is breaking bread with the dead and asking them not only “What?” but “Why?” Interpretation and imagination are the next stages in brain power. But these are risky skills; open to mistake and miscalculation, though more rewarding than mere chronologies. That is, history may start with dates, but it can never end there. SLG is standing on to live with livened up in the days to come.
Grand celebrations tend to put people to sleep intellectually
The downside of anniversaries is that they can inoculate us against the new and surprising elements in the past. Alan Bennett’s latest play, The History Boys, has it just right: “The best way to forget something is to commemorate it.” That is, grand celebrations tend to put people to sleep intellectually.
All hail!
All hail! Sublime SLG moves along with hundreds of virtues in its train. To heaven shall burst the exalted song; and trembling seraphs catch the strain. Hail, daily SLG of dignity and ease- illustrious anniversary! Your smile ensures eternal peace; and your ways are ways of liberty. All hail! The month of August is an excellent one to visit Colombo. The flowery-footed August,for you shall breathe your aromas round; for the morning stars shall sing, and Pleiades bless the teeming ground. The white-winged hours for it shall dance in sweet rotation, every gay till time’s last trumpet shall advance.
Hello, Sri Lanka Guardian
Hello, SLG, your votaries shall remain the climes of day. All hail auspicious day to you; we pay homage and bless your name: Long may your gifts divine in our fair annals shine whilst hearts and hands combine to raise your fame. We all rejoice and with a cheerful voice, welcome this day: In songs of praise abound and tell the world around that joys alone are found in SLG. Maybe, the 12th Anniversary of daily SLGshall have been celebrated throughout the day. It aims at ensuring full and effective participation of people of all classes of Sri Lankan society.
SLG was proud to be celebrating its 12th year
Good news! SLG was proud to be celebrating its 12th year of being a part of the lives of their families. It was a great honour of this momentous event for their company. Each anniversary should be more special and significant than the previous one. Anniversaries remind us of our special bonds and all those special moments that we have shared. A successful anniversary is like a canary in the mine for the rest of the year. On this paper anniversary, I write words from my soul. Life is beautiful with daily SLG, and joyfully whole. Let’s celebrate our 12th milestone in our hearts and on the dance floor. My more than four years together with SLG have been truly golden. Our time with it has treated us well. Let’s spend some time more together. Each anniversary is a chance for us to celebrate the time that we have been blessed to have together. Happy anniversary! We are bound today by what bound us 12 years ago, the same loyalties, traditions, and beliefs. We wish to remember what Rebecca Campbell once said, “Bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open, because the world needs you open.” We thank SLG journalists and staffers all so much for sharing this wonderful occasion with us.
Terminal words
Definitely, 12th Anniversary of SLG was celebrated as a mark of tribute to the contribution made by its journalists and staffers to the Sri Lanka society and the world at large.
Now to conclude my song, please come all true hearts along and hail that day; may it forever shine and prove our rights divine to bless the 12th Anniversary Day of SLG. There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. Good morning and ciao.
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The writer is a senior citizen of Bangladesh, writes about politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs.
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