Sri Lanka highlighted the remarkable contributions of two pioneering Sri Lankan women, renowned feminist scholar Kumari Jayawardena and legendary filmmaker Sumitra Peries, at a prestigious United Nations photo exhibition held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on June 30.
The exhibition, titled “Not a Woman’s Job? Women Leading Countries, Societies and Communities,” celebrated women leaders from around the world who have challenged traditional stereotypes and transformed leadership roles in their respective fields. The fifth edition of the exhibition was inaugurated by the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya.
Representing Sri Lanka, Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, presented photographic portraits of Kumari Jayawardena and the late Sumitra Peries, highlighting their lasting impact on women’s representation and leadership on the global stage.
Kumari Jayawardena, born in 1931, is widely regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s foremost feminist activists and academics. She is the author of numerous books and scholarly works on labour and feminist movements, with her landmark publication, Feminism and Nationalism in the Third World, recognized as a groundbreaking contribution to feminist thought in the Global South. Her work has helped shape understandings of feminism as an indigenous and distinct movement within non-Western societies.
The late Sumitra Peries, often referred to as the “Poetess of Sinhala Cinema,” was Sri Lanka’s first female film director and one of the country’s most celebrated cultural figures. In addition to her contributions to cinema, she served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to France and Spain and as Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. Her acclaimed film Gehenu Lamai received renewed international recognition when it was selected for a world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
By featuring Jayawardena and Peries at the United Nations exhibition, Sri Lanka underscored the significant role women have played in shaping leadership, culture, and social progress at national, regional, and international levels.
The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva stated that it remains committed to promoting gender equality, human rights, and the legacy of Sri Lankan women on the multilateral stage.
Join our WhatsApp / Telegram groups below.
