ICTA hosts ‘e-swabhimani’ Awards to recognise top digital innovators
The e-swabhimani Gala Awards 2018, organised by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) was held on November 29, 2018, at Galle Face Hotel.
The colourful event was attended by Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne and a distinguished gathering of dignitaries including senior government officials, industry leaders, digital entrepreneurs and media.
Nominations were accepted across nine categories including government and citizen engagement, health and well-being, learning and education, environment and green energy, culture and tourism, smart settlement and urbanisation, business and commerce, inclusion and empowerment and digital entertainment.
Fifty one outstanding digital innovations with social impact were honoured at the awards gala. Be it a simple SMS based solution, or a refined VR tool, these winners presents local value, quality of content and the social impact on the society.
How innovative were this year´s nominees using digital solutions to take action on local issues? How much impact do the projects make? Do they evoke change in the society? Carefully weighing all those options, the Grand Jury which comprised of seventeen eminent experts from the industry, academia and government selected the winners.
Addressing the audience Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne said: “An understanding of science and technology, and knowledge about a nation’s history is vital to build up its future. One of the principles followed by our ancient rulers was promoting talent when they recognise it.”
e-swabhimani serves as a stepping stone to the World Summit Awards (WSA), a global initiative implemented within the framework of United Nation’s World Summit on Information Society (WSIS). It contributes to the UN sustainable development goals agenda by recognising local digital content with an impact on society, demonstrating the richness and diversity of innovative applications.
As ICTA is the National Expert for WSA in Sri Lanka, the Jury selected from among the winners, eight nominations for submission to the WSA. Impressively at the WSA 2018, two of Sri Lanka’s eight nominations made in to the final round and ‘Grasshoppers Technology Stack for e-commerce Fulfilment’ won in the Business and Commerce category.
ICTA Chairman Prof. Rohan Samarajiva, welcoming the gathering remarked: “We must keep our values but we must be open to new technology. We have to serve our people. We have to embrace technology at its full potential, and we have to do good. That’s what this is all about.”
Skills Development and Vocational Training Ministry Secretary Sunil Hettiarachchi said: “Despite the exponential growth of technology, development of digital applications still lag behind. Programmes such as e-swabhimani tend to bridge this gap by encouraging the entry of such applications into domestic and international markets.”
Today it is a rapidly changing, highly interconnected and digitalised world. Creating positive social, economic and environmental change requires the smart use of digital innovation and interactive, local content. e-swabhimani makes entrepreneurs believe, that they can make an impact.