MESSAGE FROM H.E. THE PRESIDENT

I am pleased to send this message of felicitation to the 37th Annual Sessions Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA).

An architect designs the construction of buildings and the surrounding space, thus playing a most important role in the field of human occupancy. However, the changing nature of the society and the issues it confronts compel architects to consider their expertise and the manner in which it is deployed. Given the current economic distress, environmental strain and geopolitical unrest, there is growing pressure on societies to find creative solutions to vast, complex and acute issues that transcend the design of the built environment itself.

This year’s theme of the Annual Sessions, ‘Emergence-entrepreneurial Architect’ is of importance as the need of the society has changed considerably. I am confident that this conference will pave the way to explore entrepreneurship in architecture, its limitations in practice and its potential role as a more integrated component of architectural practice and also architectural education.

The valuable service rendered by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects by coordinating the activities of professional architects and organizing important events like this is laudable.

I wish the 37th Annual Sessions Ceremony of Sri Lanka Institute of Architects every success. Maithripala Sirisena

President