Colombo Club marks its journey over 150 years, recording  the ups and downs, its place in British colonial times and the emergence of a club for all seasons – one which is the exclusive domain of the nation’s best private member institution in social, professional and business circles.

This is one of the few institutions that can claim to have had Governors of the Country such as Rt. Hon. Sir William Henry Gregory, Sir James Robert Longden and Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon as original members. 

The Colombo Club, in its 150 year journey, has been attracting prominent persons of the day, such as J. A Bell, President of Planters’ Association, T. Berwick, District Judge of Colombo, Sir Richard Cayley, Municipal Councillor, later Chief Justice of Ceylon, from its British roots, later attracting corporate luminaries such as Mallory Wijesinghe, who had the distinction of being the club’s first Sri Lankan chair. 

He was followed by others who have helmed many of the nation’s leading business houses and professional firms.

The roll call of Chairmen of the Colombo Club reads like a veritable who’s who of Sri Lanka. R. Singleton-Salmon,Mallory Wijesinghe, Ranjan Canekeratne,TrevorMoy, Basil Jesudason, Deshabandu Reggie Candappa,Deshamanya DevaRodrigo,  TissaK.Bandaranayake, Hemaka Amarasuriya, , Richard (Dickie) Juriansz, Sega Nagendra, Manik Pereira, Nigel Austin to the current Kumar Jayasuriya, all captains of their industries, contributed immensely of their time and effort in maintaining the aura and prestige of the club.

First as a gentlemen’s club and now an exclusive, private member institution, Colombo Club remains a luxurious and discreet oasis in the heart of Colombo.

To mark its 150^th anniversary, a coffee table edition that re-threads the club’s journey mileposts, reflecting how it fitted into the larger fabric of British Ceylon, as the Country transited from a crown colony to a democratic republic, was inaugurated.

The book captures the essence of a bygone era and brings to life the culture and current offering of the club, vividly capturing the fact that the Club is not just a relic of Sri Lanka’s colonial past but a strong reminder of our heritage and a reassurance of the future.

It takes us on a blissful journey on how the club started in colonial times and traces the economic situation of the era, to what it is today. 

 “Today, the club’s esteemed membership comprises the upper echelons of Sri Lanka’s corporate and state sectors: the club is their second home – an exclusive venue to relax, conduct meetings, and wine and dine in amiable company. 

It follows that the club can proudly proclaim that many business deals, which have transformed the nation’s business landscape, have taken shape in a private meeting room within its premises,” said Kumar Jayasuriya, Chairman of Colombo Club.

With exclusive excerpts from life members – Deshamanya Sohli Captain and Deshamanya Deva Rodrigo from joining the club as youngsters to seeing it grow to the establishment it is today, the coffee table book is an illustrious and insightful outlook on the indefatigable spirit that sustains the club.

Originally set up as The Assembly Rooms Company in 1869, with Governor Sir Hercules Robinson as its President, the original building, now part of the Taj Samudra hotel, is a heritage site. The Colombo Club itself was inaugurated in 1871 and is one of Asia’s oldest social clubs with a membership of 500 of both men and women

The EU Indo-Pacific Strategy through Sri Lanka’s Lens: Opportunities for Cooperation and Partnership was discussed in depth at a conference held in Colombo recently. 

The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives hosted a half-day conference with the aim of reviwing the strategy, officials said. 

The event supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation was organised on the occasion of the visit of the EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin to Sri Lanka. 

LKI Executive Director Dr. D.L. Mendis warmly welcomed the participants who attended this conference and said that a rule-based order will protect small states and make international law the language of international relations. 

Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Denis Chaibi made the opening remarks and referred to the connections between Europe and Sri Lanka.

EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin outlined the thematic content of the EU Indo-Pacific Strategy launched in September 2021, highlighting its relevance for further engagement between the EU and Sri Lanka. 

He outlined the way in which a multilateral approach would guarantee stability through the strengthening of international rule-based order. 

He further stated that seven priority areas for cooperation have been identified; such as, sustainable and economic prosperity, green transition, ocean governance, digital governance and partnerships, connectivity and security and defence. 

The Envoy further underscored that the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategy envisages strengthening links with the states in the region and not dependencies. 

The keynote address was delivered by Foreign Minister Prof. G.L Peiris in which he outlined the importance of multilateralism, inclusivity and rule-based order. 

He also dealt with topics such as green recovery, trade, sustainable ocean governance as issues of relevance to Sri Lanka at present for cooperation and partnerships. 

He highlighted that a rule-based order can help small states safeguard their position at the international level. Additional remarks were delivered by State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya. 

Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage and representatives of EU Member States participated at this conference. 

Ambassador of the French Republic to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Eric Lavertu, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Tanja Gongrijjp and Deputy Director General for South Asia and Indo-Pacific policy, German Federal Foreign Office, Dr. Jasper Wieck, addressed this conference. 

The conference brought together local and international experts to discuss the EU strategy and its implications in three thematic areas, namely; (i) Sri Lanka’s and EU’s positioning within geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific, , (ii) Trade, Connectivity and Green Recovery as Strategic Tools: Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka and the EU,  (iii) EU and Sri Lanka Efforts for Sustainable Ocean Governance, chaired by LKI Executive Director Dr. D.L. Mendis. 

The speakers articulated their diverse viewpoints on the key fundamentals of the European strategy in a constructive manner in order to reinforce the rule-based order and proposed various modalities for cooperation and partnership in the Indo-Pacific region. 

In his vote of thanks, LKI Director Chathuka Senanayake thanked the panellists and participants for attending this conference and sharing their insights. A full report on this conference and proceedings will be published shortly.