CUP organized the “Finger Puppet Competition” for the children in Sri Lanka. The project's key objective was to give children opportunities to enhance their creative thinking and handmade ideas while developing presentation skills during the COVID-19 lock down situation. The theme of the competition was “Trees and me.” The winners were selected in different age groups from 5 to 12 years by the experts in the field, Mr. Athula Ransirilal, the Director, Lanka Television and Radio Academy, and Dr. S. S. Jeyaprakash, Assistant Director, Tower Hall Theatre Foundation.

A total of 393 participants, six were selected as winners. Due to the pandemic, there was no physical award ceremony, but the certificates of appreciation and awards were sent to the winners’ mailing addresses.

A special appreciation goes to Mrs. Swaruparanee Weerasooria for her generous support to make the competition a success.

The winners are as follows.

Tamil - Medium (Age 5-8 years)

Muraliraj Mokiith

Pre-School

Blooming Buds Pre School, Batticaloa

Tamil – Medium (Age 9-12 years)

Prabagar Lawnish

Grade 4

Highlands Central College, Hatton

Sinhala - Medium (Age 5-8 years)

Pumal Wickramasinghe

Grade 3

Dharmaraja College, Kandy

Sinhala Medium  (Age 9-12 years)

Onitha Jayasekara

Grade 6

Royal College, Colombo 7

English Medium  (Age 5-8 years)

Dilesha Fernando

Grade 3

Sujatha Vidyalaya, Nugegoda

English Medium  (Age 9-12 years)

Minudi Panditharathana

Grade 6

St. Anthony’s Girls’ College, Kandy