As my eyes, incessantly and infallibly watch Michelle Dilhara on the mini screen, I get inundated with an affluence of exquisite and sumptuous symmetry of the enchantingly crafted and baked quotes on the poise and pliancy of the environment and the utter significance of its preservation.
Acting is Michelle’s forte, she is a dyed-in-the-wool environmentalist, as the environmental conservation is concerned – she is not willing to compromise on the safety of the environment and its sustainability. Michelle in her capacity as the Earth Day Network Ambassador to Sri Lanka is the synonym for the promotion of tree planting campaigns in the island.
Abiding by her duties as the Earth Day Network Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Michelle becomes the distinct and evident manifestation of the Earth Day Network in greening the places of education, giving birth to green jobs and investment whereas ensuring and facilitating the promotions of activism in order to put a full-stop to the pollution that takes place in both air and water. In that light, Michelle has so far extended her contribution towards more than two hundred tree planting campaigns, organised by the Sri Lankan universities and schools where Michelle stands as a pivotal force and a huge source of inspiration among the young students whose love and ardent enthusiasm for the protection of environment come as one of their most prominent extracurricular activities that naturally become part and parcel of their lifestyle.
Michelle’s staunchness and intensity on the causes of environmental protection, notably her authentic commitment towards the matter of tree planting at the places of education are well acknowledged in India where Ramanujan College, University of Delhi invited Michelle to give a lecture on environment for the final year students of the Department of Environmental studies at the University premises.
Earth Day network
Karuna Singh, Earth Day Network Regional Director and Neela Majumdar, Earth Day Network Director of Education and Outreach were also among the invited speakers at the University.Ramanujan college university of Delhi is the only environmental university in India which is named after Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematical genius born in 1887 who revitalised and reshaped the domain of the 20th century Mathematics.
“The Man who Knew Infinity” is a 2015 British biographical drama film that brings out a composed recollection on Srinivasa Ramanujan. It is also believed that Ramanujan’s intelligence was far beyond that of Albert Einstein. As stated in the official website of the Ramanujan University College, Michelle is the first Sri Lankan environmentalist and actor, invited to deliver a lecture at its premises.
“I am utterly humbled by being the first SriLankan environmentalist and actor, invited by the prestigious Ramanujan University college of which concern on the environmental sustainability is undeniably worthy of appreciation. I am hugely delighted and impressed by their genuine concern on the aspect of the protection of the environment which is evidently the need of the hour across the globe. Meanwhile, I am grateful for the Ramanujan University College for their kind acknowledgement on my environmental causes and the hospitality accorded to me during my stay there”, Michelle shared.
Tree planting campaign
Michelle’s next destination in India was the University of Delhi where she focused herself on a tree planting campaign at the University premises. She was also invited by the University of Delhi to give a lecture for the undergraduates of the Environmental Studies Unit of the University of Delhi.
Michelle remarked that the International Conference on Sustainable Education (ICSE) 2023, a global summit on Sustainable education was centrally organised by Ram Boojh, the chief executive officer of the Mobius Foundation in India. The summit was held with the participation of 50 representatives from around the world and it was also included with the representatives from The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The Worldwide Fund for Nature(WWF).
Michelle was also among one of the invited speakers. Whilst representing Sri Lanka on its concern on sustainable education, Michelle delivered a lecture at the ICSE conference 2023.It is also reported that the conference was attended by nearly 4,000 people. Apart from that a number of 50 people from 50 countries were also seen attending the same, whilst virtually presenting their speeches in association with a large number of universities in the world.
Whilst these iconic and significant events symbolised Michelle’s loyalty towards her green projects, she found time to attend a programme, based on the World Tourism Day, 2023, at the premises of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Representing 20 countries, the programme was attended by 50 participants. At the invitation of Mayura Roshan of the media and special projects bureau of the temple of the sacred tooth relic, Michelle centered her speech on the ancient significance of the temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and Sri Lanka. The program was also attended by the Diyawadana Nilame.
“Tree planting campaigns and green projects have often been in my daily schedules. Being able to plant a tree at the premises of the temple of the sacred tooth relic was undoubtedly a pivotal moment that I would continue to treasure with an abundance of pious thoughts”, Michelle concluded.
Michelle delivers a lecture at Ramanujan College, University of Delhi
