Union Assurance’s landmark CSR program to foster development in cultural pursuits continues to draw children from around the island. 

A dying art among the new generation, folk dancing and singing as well as oratory skills received a new lease on life when Union Assurance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, staged a nationwide talent competition last year. Designed to draw out talented school children and provide them a platform to showcase their skills, the ‘Pasalen Karaliyata’ program was a resounding success with over 26,00 children taking part. Entries were received from no less than 950 schools covering 19 districts. The theme last year covered traditional folk dancing, folk singing or Jana Gee and the age-old oratory art.

"As a dying art these cultural activities required recognition in terms of events and so on, as there a fewer numbers of teachers who are qualified and available to teach the disciplines. The objective was two-fold – first to engage the children in such cultural activities and to clearly point out to the teachers the value of continuing with such activities and for them to receive the recognition they deserve", says Dharshana Amarasinghe, Senior Manager Marketing at Union Assurance.

To ensure that this awareness goes beyond the competition and continues to be a part of their daily thinking, Union Assurance has decided to donate a tree to each participating school, which the students will nurture in collaboration with the respective Union Assurance branch office. The organisers envisage approximately 1,500 trees being planted across the country, with the primary purpose of creating a shift in the thinking among the youth of Sri Lanka. 

This year Union Assurance hopes to increase the number of participating schools to about 1,500 and consequently the number of children. Although open only to the participating students last year, this year’s event envisages the participation of the parents with special invites being sent out to all. As a further step Union Assurance has also come up with a program to be conducted in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to inform and increase awareness among parents of the importance of educating school children in the traditional arts and activities.