Workshop on creative writing held in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Monday, 02 February 2004, 00:48 GMT]
Three-day workshop for Tamil medium students in Trincomalee town on "developing the creative writing" organized by the North East Provincial Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs concluded Sunday at the Trincomalee Orr's Hill Vivekananda College, education officials in Trincomalee said. Senior Lecturer at the Eastern University Dr.S.Yogarajah conducted the workshop.

NE Provincial Education Ministry Secretary Mr.Thiagalingam speaking

"Today's youths should not only think of becoming engineers and medical officers but also should come forward to develop their creating talents in the sphere of literature becoming poets, dramatists and novelists," said Provincial Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary Mr.Thiagalingam addressing the participants.

This was the first workshop held for advanced level Tamil medium students in a series of such workshops planned by the provincial ministry of education and cultural affairs in the northeast, Provincial Assistant Director of Cultural Affairs Ms N.Sri Devi said in her address.

She said the selected literary works submitted by participants at the end of each workshop would be published as a book.

About one hundred Tamil medium students participated in the workshop.



Section of Tamil medium A/L students attending the workshop



Mr.Thiagalingam further said, "in Tamilnadu in South India short stories and novels are written based on experiences authors enjoy in an atmosphere of peace. Our youths can produce highly creative works with hard experience and sufferings they have undergone in our war torn northeast province. We must read literatures of other languages but should see that our literary works are original. Our writings should reflect the reality of our soil where we live."

Youths should spend more time in reading to enhance their knowledge. The fullness of a society not only depends on the availability of academicians but also on the presence of creative writers, he added.

Dr.S.Yogarajah said, "Our school curriculum has not been formulated to bring out hidden talents of our students."



East University senior lecturer Dr.S.Yogarajah seen lighting the traditional oil lamp while (L-R) Assistant Director Cultural Officer (Sinhala division) Mr.S.Welikala, Provincial Secretary Mr.Thiagalingam, Assistant Cultural Officer (Tamil unit) Ms N.Sri Devi and Cultural Officer M.V.Gunapalan look on