The English Speaking Union (ESU) Sri Lanka Chapter conferred 17-year-old student Sashane Dassanayake from Lyceum International School – Colombo as the Winner of the National Public-Speaking Competition 2025, held on March 1. The panel of adjudicators for the winners included former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, International Chamber of Commerce former Chief Operating Officer Nihara Nanayakkara and International Scholar Group of Companies Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Keerthi Jayasuriya.
The awards ceremony was held on March 15 in Colombo with Elinor Galapitage, Head of English at Elizabeth Moir School, Colombo as the Chief Guest. Sashane Dassanayake received the Dr. T.P. Amarasinghe Challenge Trophy, while Omar Hazari from Royal College, Colombo and Thahira Saheed from Ladies College, Colombo were the 1st and 2nd Runners-up.
The winner will represent an international contest to be held in London with the participation of over 55 countries from May 12-16.
The English Speaking Union of Sri Lanka, founded in 1981 by the Late Dr. T.P. Amerasinghe, is affiliated with the English-Speaking Union International, a Royal Charter based in Dartmouth House, London. ESU Sri Lanka President Tilak Amerasinghe said the aim of the program was to help Sri Lankan students gain confidence, find their voice to express themselves and engage in dialogue through the use of English as a shared language.
He said that the ESU students would be provided with the necessary skills and confidence to realise their inner potential and reach heights they never thought they could.
