School Twin Gathering

For the first time in Sri Lanka, a school hosted twin gathering was held on 1st February 2019 at Defense Service School, Colombo 02 with the participation of approximately 40 student twin pairs. This event was one of the series of events organized by Institute for Research & Development in order to increase the patient & public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in research, which is one of the aims of the South Asian Early Development and Research Capacity Building Project (SEARCH project), funded by Medical Research Council, UK (MRC).

Art & essay competitions for twins followed by an awarding ceremony highlighted the twin students’ talents and capabilities which furnished the twin student strata of the school a novel recognition. Students’ performance on stage for recreational challenges offered added colors to the event. The principal of the Defense Service School, Prof. Athula Sumathipala, Dr. Godwin Kodithuwwaku & Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, who were the chief guest and guests of honors respectively for the event addressed the gathering. Prof. Athula Sumathipala highlighted the importance of empowerment of twin students in involvement and engagement in research in making an overarching research culture in Sri Lanka. Media coverage for the event was given by Sri Lanka Rupavahini cooperation.