Kathmandu: The Embassy of Nepal, in collaboration with the Nepal-Sri Lanka Friendship Association, successfully observed the first-ever International Wellness Day at the historic Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo on April 15. The program held under the theme of “Holistic Wellness” brought together religious leaders, diplomats, health professionals, business representatives, and members of the civil society to celebrate the International Wellness Day.

The event commenced with the opening blessing and a welcome address by Ven Udairiyagama Dhammajeewa Thero, who also led a guided meditation session for the participants. In his special address, Purna Bahadur Nepali, Ambassador of Nepal to Sri Lanka and Maldives, underscored Nepal’s leadership in securing the UN resolution proclaiming 15 April as International Wellness Day and reiterated Nepal’s commitment to promoting wellness as a holistic approach encompassing physical, mental, social, and ecological well-being. 

A key highlight of the programme was a panel discussion on the topic “Holistic Wellness: Bridging Traditional Knowledge and Modern Lifestyles.” The panel was moderated by Jorgina Wijewardana and featured distinguished speakers including Kaumadu Karunagoda, Hubika Joshi, a Professional Physiotherapist, W.M. Deepika Priyadarshani, and Ven Udairiyagama Thero. The session explored the integration of ancient wellness traditions such as Ayurveda, yoga, and mindfulness with contemporary health practices, and included active audience engagement. 

The programme also featured remarks by Ven Wetara Mahinda Thero, President of the Sri Lanka-Nepal Buddhist Association, who spoke on the shared spiritual heritage between the two nations. Rohan De Silva, Vice President of the Sri Lanka-Nepal Business Council, highlighted the economic potential of wellness tourism. A special talk on mindfulness and physical well-being was delivered by Hubika Joshi.

Inspiring remarks were shared by Dimantha Thenuwara, renowned mountaineer, adventurer, business consultant, and author, who offered valuable insights on metal resilience and physical endurance. Tokens of appreciation were also presented to the artists in recognition of their contribution to the artwork exhibition. 

The event was graced by around 200 participants, including ambassadors, deputy heads of missions, members of the international organizations, government officials, business and civil society leaders, representatives of the Nepali community, and media members. 

The Embassy extended its deep gratitude to the Gangaramaya Temple and its dedicated staff for graciously hosting the event and ensuring its smooth conduct. The Embassy also expresses its sincere thanks to all the speakers, the Nepal-Sri Lanka Friendship Association artists, and participants for making the event a success, with special appreciation to Park Hospital, Cinnamon Life, Silver Mill Company, Viana Cosmetics, and the media groups for their generous hospitality and support.

The Embassy stated that it is noteworthy that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on 10 March 2026, proclaiming April 15 as International Wellness Day. As the penholder of the resolution, Nepal led this historic initiative, which was co-sponsored by 40 Member States and endorsed by 143 Member States. 

COLOMBO: Nine Chinese nationals were arrested at Sri Lanka’s main international airport on Thursday while attempting to smuggle in communication equipment allegedly intended for cyberscam operations, customs authorities said.

The arrests come two weeks after police detained 152 foreign nationals, mostly Chinese, for allegedly running a cyberscam operation out of a hotel in the island’s northwest.

Following those arrests, the Chinese embassy in Colombo said it was working closely with local authorities to prevent its nationals from carrying out scamming operations in the country.

The latest airport incident saw Sri Lankan officers recover 383 used mobile phones, 101 tablet computers, six Wi-Fi routers and GPS trackers from the arriving Chinese nationals, a customs spokesman said.

“The equipment was taped to the bodies of the suspects,” the spokesman added, noting the haul was valued at 24 million rupees ($78,000) and was confiscated.

Organised criminal gangs have used casinos, hotels and fortified compounds across Southeast Asia as bases to carry out sophisticated online scams, defrauding people through cryptocurrency investment schemes and fake romantic relationships, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Until a crackdown this year, the region was the epicentre of the multibillion-dollar online scam industry in which hundreds of thousands of fraudsters — some trafficked, others willing workers — cheat internet users globally with romance and cryptocurrency investment schemes.

“Due to Sri Lanka’s well-developed telecommunications infrastructure, favourable geographical location and relatively lenient visa policies, some telecom fraud gangs have moved to Sri Lanka,” the Chinese embassy in Colombo said recently.

“That is why such cases have been increasing in Sri Lanka recently,” it added, noting that the scammers had been targeting Chinese nationals at home.

-AFP