The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced its support for the Galle Literary Festival (GLF) – rated “the world’s No 1 literary festival” by Harper’s Bazaar – as the festival’s Official Banking Partner.
Sri Lanka’s benchmark private sector bank will also host two exclusive events, one featuring British novelist, journalist and broadcaster Sebastian Faulks and the popular Sri Lankan-born author Romesh Gunesekera, and the other featuring Romesh Gunesekera and Booker Prize winner Shehan Karunatilaka.
The 2024 edition of the Galle Literary Festival takes place from 25 to 28 January at the historic Galle Fort after a break due to the global pandemic. This year’s festival, the 11th in the series, will present more than 80 speakers from around the world and comprise of over 100 events. About 10,000 people attended GLF 2019.
“Supporting an event of the stature of the Galle Literary Festival on its resumption after a hiatus reflects our commitment to the growth of Sri Lankan art and culture and to the resurgence of tourism,” Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager – Retail Banking and Marketing Mr Hasrath Munasinghe commented. “Galle is also a very special place for Commercial Bank, which has a branch in the Galle Fort in one of the oldest buildings in the Southern Province. We are truly excited to be a partner of the festival.”
The events sponsored by Commercial Bank at GLF 2024 are a panel discussion titled “Decades in Writing” at Halle De Galle with Sebastian Faulks, Romesh Gunesekera and Jill Macdonald, the well-known educationist and a former Curator of the festival (27 January); and a panel discussion titled “The Changing Sri Lankan Literary Landscape” (28 January) with Romesh Gunesekera, Shehan Karunatilaka and author Ameena Hussein, at 30 Leyn Baan Street.
Since its launch in 2007, the GLF has become one of the most anticipated arts-focused events in South Asia, hosting a wide variety of talks, workshops and exhibitions in a wonderfully intimate setting. The festival champions the work of writers and poets and gives space to painters and photographers as part of its ‘Art Trail.’ A new addition – ‘Gourmet Galle’ – is a series of events to showcase top chefs and flavoursome Sri Lankan cuisine.
Commercial Bank is the largest private sector bank in Sri Lanka and the first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World. The Bank operates a network of 271 branches and 964 automated machines in Sri Lanka, is the largest lender to Sri Lanka’s SME sector, and is a leader in digital innovation in the country’s Banking sector. Commercial Bank has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan Banks, with 20 outlets in Bangladesh, a Microfinance company in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, and a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives.
Photo caption:
Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager – Retail Banking & Marketing Mr Hasrath Munasinghe at the signing of the sponsorship agreement with GLF Company Director Mr Damita Nikapota, Festival Director Ms Giselle Harding and Commercial Bank’s Chief Manager Marketing Ms Aparna Jagoda and Senior Manager Marketing Ms Irosha Weththasingha.
