FTZ Toastmasters launches membership drive for Gampaha youth and professionals
The FTZ Toastmasters Club has launched a membership drive aimed at school leavers, university students, entrepreneurs, and professionals across the Gampaha District as it expands its reach beyond the Free Trade Zone to serve the wider community.
The initiative is designed to help young people and professionals develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills that have become increasingly important in education, employment, and career advancement.
Club officials said that while academic and technical qualifications remain important, employers today also look for candidates who can communicate confidently, present ideas clearly and demonstrate leadership potential.
Established in 2005, FTZ Toastmasters Club has spent more than two decades helping members improve their communication and leadership abilities through the internationally recognised Toastmasters educational programme.
The club has also built a strong reputation for producing accomplished communicators and leaders who have gone on to make significant contributions in business, industry and the Toastmasters movement.
Among its distinguished members is Sri Lanka’s first Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), Lalith Kahatapitiya, Chairman of the KIK Group of Companies and a charter member who played a key role in establishing the club. Senior Electrical Engineer Arjuna Jayadarshana became the club’s first member to earn the Distinguished Toastmaster designation, the highest educational award presented by Toastmasters International.
Other notable members include former Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association Secretary Anura Perera, who served Toastmasters District 82 in several leadership positions before relocating to Canada, and Sudath Fernando, Group Finance Director of ATG Gloves (Pvt) Ltd (pictured), who also achieved the Distinguished Toastmaster designation.
The club has also produced several District 82 leaders, including former Area Directors M.H.Z.M. Marzook and Eranda Solangarachchi. (pictured)
Another shining example is DTM Anura Perera (pictured), formerly Secretary of the Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association. Through his commitment to communication and leadership excellence, he earned the Distinguished Toastmaster designation and went on to serve Toastmasters District 82 as both Area Director and Division Director. Today, he continues to exemplify the values of leadership and personal growth while residing in Canada.
The club also counts DTM Sudath Fernando among its distinguished members. Currently serving as Group Finance Director of ATG Gloves (Pvt) Ltd, a globally recognized multinational enterprise, Fernando represents the caliber of leadership that FTZ Toastmasters Club has consistently helped cultivate.
Building on this legacy, the club is now inviting individuals from across the Gampaha District to become members and benefit from its supportive learning environment and structured leadership development programme.
More details could be obtained from the President, esolanga@gmail.com, Sudav1968@gmail.com or from FTZ Toastmasters Club website.
