Melwa Conglomerate hosts ‘Night of Generals’ industry-strategic forum

• Holds talk show on smart and resilient cities 

On February 27, Cinnamon Life in Colombo became the setting for a distinguished gathering hosted by Melwa Conglomerate, under the theme ‘The Night of the Generals’, marking the company’s annual gathering. 

The event brought together leading professionals from various industry sectors whose work contributes to Sri Lanka’s development landscape. The invitees included senior professionals from the construction industry, engineering and consulting firms and financial and banking institutions. 

A key feature of Melwa’s annual gathering was the participation of two distinguished international experts, who travelled to Sri Lanka to take part in a talk show segment held during the event. 

Architect George Kunihiro, Chief Executive Officer of PLANTEC Incorporated, Chairman of T Life Environmental Lab Co. Ltd and Professor Emeritus at Kokushikan University in Tokyo, brought extensive global experience in architecture and urban environmental planning. 

Joining him was Dr. Naveed Anwar, CEO of CSi Bangkok and a structural engineering specialist associated with the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. 

The talk show explored the theme ‘Smart and Resilient Cities’, focusing on the long-term challenges facing the rapidly growing urban environments. 

Kunihiro highlighted the accelerating pace of global urbanisation, noting that by 2050, nearly 70 percent of the world’s population is expected to live in cities. He observed that sustainable cities are shaped by careful planning rather than uncontrolled growth.

He also noted that resilience is not driven by technology alone. Strong infrastructure, diversified local economies and responsible resource use, all play a vital role in building cities that can adapt and endure over time. 

Throughout the talk show, both international experts emphasised that collaboration between governments, businesses, academia and communities is essential for building cities that are both livable and resilient. 

For Melwa Conglomerate, hosting the event reflects its long association with Sri Lanka’s construction and industrial sectors. Since beginning as a steel manufacturer in 2002, the company has grown into a diversified industrial group supplying essential construction materials for projects across the island.