Sri Lanka Chapter of SACCJF conducted world environment day seminar for media personnel

The key speakers at the event who posed for this photograph along with representatives of the SACCJF-SL Executive Committee were Prof. Saman Seneweera (who delivered the keynote address), Prof. Siril Wijesundera, Dr. Ajith Gunawardena, Mrs. Preethika Madhawee Jayakody, Dr. Ravindranath Dabare

(Pix by Kushan S. Pathiraja) 

The South Asian Climate Change Journalists’ Forum – Sri Lanka Chapter organised a special thematic seminar in line with the World Environment Day 2026 for the local media personnel to enhance their knowledge on current issues and much talked about El Niño condition. 

The SACCJF-SL, which is a collective of dedicated local journalists covering the environmental and climate change issues organised the special seminar under the theme ‘Current Challenges in Sri Lanka in Climate Change Adaptation and Communication’ at the Genesis: Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future.  

An eminent Sri Lankan climate change scholar attached to University of Melbourne Prof. Saman Seneweera delivered the keynote address of the seminar, which was followed by a panel discussion comprising a group of experts in the field. 

Prof. Siril Wijesundera of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) in Kandy, Dr. Ajith Gunawardena of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Mrs. Preethika Madhawee Jayakody of the Department of Meteorology and Dr. Ravindranath Dabare of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) spoke in depth about the ongoing world climate crisis. Senior journalists Dhaneshi Yatawara and Savani Sheshadhi moderated the event. 

The Sri Lanka Chapter of the SACCJF, formed in July, 2025 and affiliated to the South Asian Climate Change Journalists’ Forum, comprises climate an environment journalists from the regional countries India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. 

President SACCJF-SL Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana, Vice President Vineetha M. Gamage, Secretary General Supun Maduwantha Abeysena, Joint Secretary Savani Sheshadhi and Treasurer Krishna D. Edirisinghe and the Executive Committee posed for a group photograph with the panel of eminent scholars and Head of Dilmah Conservation Centre Rishan Sampath following the seminar.