'Shoes for Hope' from Korea to SL

With an aim towards improving the standard of sports among schoolchildren in less privileged areas in Sri Lanka, Mizy, a youth centre from Seoul, Korea donated 1,500 pairs of shoes to 20 schools in the Batticaloa area.

In collaboration with the National Olympic Committee, a delegation from Mizy visited Sri Lanka last week and travelled to the poor areas in recognition of children involved in sports and other activities, with no proper facilities. The shoes had tiny drawings by the children of Korea, with a vision of developing friendship.

Known as 'Shoes for Hope', the shoes will be delivered in October, to needy children of the selected areas. More than 60,000 pairs of shoes have been delivered in their programme for needy children of the world. The last two countries to receive 'Shoes for Hope' were Cambodia and Nepal. At the forthcoming Youth Festival in Korea on June 9 and 10, Mizy will educate Korean youth about the sports activities and culture of Sri Lankan youth

The main objective of this donation is to build friendship, love and exchange cultural values between the youth of Korea and Sri Lanka.The delegation officials were very pleased with the courage, talent and dedication shown by Sri Lanka's schoolboys and schoolgirls of Batticaloa despite limited resources. Koduwamadu Shakthi Vidyalayam, Koppavely GTMS, Marapalam GTMS, Mavaliyaru Kailan Vidyalayam, Rugam Saraswathy Vidyalayam, Veppavedduwan GTMS, Welikakandy Vipulananda Vidyalayam, Palarchenai Kalasoori Vinagamoorthy Vidyalayam, Thalawai Ajarathmananthaji Vidyalayam, Irunooruvil GTMS, Karaveddiyaru Vijitha Vidyalayam, Karavedy South GTMS, Manipuram Vigneswara Vidyalayam, Mankikaddu GTMS, Mandapathady GTMS, Mullamunai Murugan Vidyalayam, Naripulthoddam Nadeswara Tamil Vidyalayam, Nellikadu GTMS, Unnichchai 6th Milepost GTMS, Pavatkodichchenai Vinayagar Vidyalayam.

Over 485 shuttlers will vie for honours when the annual Summer Season Badminton Championship 2017 begins on April 29 at the Municipal Indoor Stadium in Nuwara Eliya.

The event has gained immense popularity and improved its standards throughout the years.

The tournament is held on rubber carpets that will be used on courts and this will be the first time such surfaces are used for cooler weather conditions. It is expected that this will be very helpful especially for the ranking players and for the juniors to give in their best during the highly competitive event. The event will see 615 matches and 26 events conducted throughout six days while Rs. 5,00,000 worth of prize money will be on offer for podium winners.

The high profile tournament which has a history of 20 years, is organised by the Central Province Badminton Association (CPBA)