Sunera Foundation presents Samanalayaya 2025: Empowering differently-abled youth through art

Each act conveyed an important message through artistic expression 

“The Puppet of Hope,” staged by the Kuliyapitiya workshop participants

A captivating dance item by members of the Sunera Nattandiya workshop

• Each workshop staged an original play, conceptualised, scripted, and directed by Sunera trainers and performed by the participants

Sunethra Bandaranaike, founder and chairperson of the Sunera Foundation

By Zainab Hussein                                                                                        

Celebrating 25 years of empowering disability inclusion through art, Sunera Foundation proudly presented Samanalayaya 2025, its flagship drama festival showcasing the exceptional talents of differently-abled youth. The grand finale was held on November 4th at the Lionel Wendt Memorial Theatre with the support of the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka. Through the transformative power of performing arts, Sunera Foundation promotes social inclusion for persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka and conducts free weekly workshops across the island.
In preparation for the grand finale, nine regional drama festivals were held in August and September, featuring over a thousand participants from Sunera Foundation workshops island-wide, including Kurunegala, Galle, Kandy and Matara. Each workshop staged an original play, conceptualised, scripted, and directed by Sunera trainers and performed by the participants. A panel of judges evaluated the performances, and the best plays were selected for the grand finale. 
The event commenced at 7 p.m. with a captivating dance performance by participants from the Sunera Dambulla workshop, many of whom were hearing or speech impaired and on the autism spectrum. This was followed by a drama titled “The Puppet of Hope,” staged by the Kuliyapitiya workshop. The programme also featured two more dance acts from participants attached to Sunera workshops in Maharagama and Nattandiya, along with two other plays produced by the Matara and Nattandiya workshops. 
Each performance reflected the remarkable passion and creativity of the differently-abled participants as they used art to convey meaningful messages. The event concluded with an award ceremony, where trainers who directed the dances and dramas were honored with tokens of appreciation presented by Sunethra Bandaranaike, founder and chairperson of the Sunera Foundation.
The drama festival has served as a powerful source of inspiration for many young individuals with disabilities, helping to promote their inclusion and active participation in mainstream society. Through these performances, participants not only showcased their artistic talents but also their limitless potential which lies beyond their disabilities. 
By blending drama, music, art therapy, puppetry, and other creative forms of expression, the Sunera Foundation has created a nurturing platform where this marginalised group can discover their strengths, boost self-confidence, and connect meaningfully with society. Samanalayaya was truly a celebration of diversity and shared humanity—reminding audiences that our differences are what make us unique.
pix by pradeep dilrukshana