TEDxColombo

Powerful ideas and remarkable life stories left a lasting impression. Ashok ferry opened the event perfectly was a great host Jason Rajasinghe, once a YouTube content creator making waves globally as a film maker, brought a powerful message about the power of visualization. Beyond his own achievements, he highlighted how visualizing your future can manifest it into reality. He drew compelling parallels with Arthur C. Clarke’s futuristic imagination and how Steven Spielberg once chose Sri Lanka as a filming location. His core message: Sri Lanka has immense potential to go global in the film industry. Vickum Nawagamuwage introduced a thought-provoking perspective on stress. He traced its roots back to sorrow and offered a simple yet profound idea—learning to say, “It’s okay, this is life.” He shed light on how we often overlook mental health, and why it’s time we take it seriously. His talk was a much-needed wake-up call, encouraging us to better understand and care for our own emotional well-being. Anya Ratnayake, a passionate environmentalist, captivated the audience with her talk on the fishing cats of Colombo and the rich biodiversity of our wetlands. She explained how these wetlands absorb 40% of rainwater and play a key role in cooling the city. Her message was clear: protecting our natural ecosystems should go beyond policy—it should become a personal responsibility. Yevan David, the young Formula 1 prodigy, surprised everyone. His talk wasn’t about racing but about courage, patience, learning from failure, and the importance of timing. What stood out most was his insight into the power of meditation. He drew a parallel between a Formula 1 cockpit and the calmness gained through meditation—an extraordinary level of maturity from someone so young. @sanjiva shared his dream for Sri Lanka’s tech industry. Using cricket as a metaphor, he reminded us of how we once lived and breathed the game—and how just 11 players could take on the world. So, why not do the same in technology? His call was to focus on building products rather than just providing services. Sonali was among the bravest voices of the day. She spoke about one of Sri Lanka’s most taboo topics—abortion. She addressed the harsh reality: although it’s illegal, around 250,000 abortions occur annually, most of them unsafe. Her message went beyond the legal debate—she called on those who care about justice to break the silence and speak out, regardless of social stigma. Kevin Wilson closed with a masterclass in public speaking. His storytelling was mesmerizing, but it was really his father’s story he shared. He spoke about the history of Chai Tea, using it as a metaphor for life—its character, curiosity, and how those qualities shape who we become. It was deeply inspirational. I only wish more people across Sri Lanka could experience such inspiration. A big hats off to the organizers—they’ve kept this volunteer-run initiative going for 15 years @TEDxColombo