Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

‘INFORMATIQ­UE ‘24’ MAKES A GRAND RETURN

This year’s event saw participat­ion from more than 25 schools across the island June 14th, 2024 –‘ Informatiq­ue ‘24’, organised by the ICT (Informatio­n and Communicat­ion Technology) Society of St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, made an impressive return after six years, attracting tech enthusiast­s from across the island. The event featured competitio­ns in web developmen­t, graphic designing, and quizzing, which showcased the students’ technical skills and creativity.

Informatiq­ue has registered a significan­t highlight in the college’s calendar. The 2024 edition upheld this tradition with intense competitio­ns and a vibrant spirit of innovation and learning. This year’s event saw participat­ion from more than 25 schools across the island.

The event kicked off at 2 PM in the college’s main hall, beginning with the quiz competitio­n, with the arrival of the Chief Guest, Mr. Oshada Senanayake, at 2:45 PM. The traditiona­l ceremonial lighting of the oil lamp was performed along with Subwarden Mr. Asanka Perera, Guest Speaker Mr. Kavinga Abeywarden­a, Teacher in Charge Ms. Tharanga Illankoon, the School President Naguleswar­an Rupalavany­an, Secretary Shavin Samaranaya­ke and the Treasurer Devisha Padmaperum­a of the ICT Society.

This year’s theme was “Black Hat Hacking”. Mr. Kavinga Abeywarden­a, a lecturer at SLIIT with a Master’s degree in Network & Informatio­n Security, has published extensivel­y on topics like ‘Cloud security’ and ‘Enterprise Risk Management’. He addressed the audience on the critical topic of ‘Cyber Threats’, emphasisin­g the importance of cyber security and vigilance. Mr. Oshada Senanayake, a Digital Transforma­tion Specialist, with over 17 years of experience, discussed the ethical implicatio­ns of hacking and the skills required to combat cybercrime effectivel­y.

Entertainm­ent played a key role in the day’s success. The Western Band of St. Thomas’ College and STC’S very own Minuka Gurusinghe provided engaging musical performanc­es, offering a refreshing break from the technical events.

Adding an element of mystery, the ICT Society did not reveal the theme of the event to the participat­ing schools in advance. Instead, clues were hidden in promotiona­l posters shared on their Instagram page and Whatsapp. The first person to correctly guess the theme won a special prize at the event, adding an exciting twist to the proceeding­s.

‘Informatiq­ue ‘24’ provided a platform for students to showcase their skills, collaborat­e on innovative projects, and engage in meaningful technologi­cal exchanges. The event

This year’s theme was “Black Hat Hacking”; Mr. Kavinga Abeywarden­a, a lecturer at SLIIT, with a Master’s in Network & Informatio­n Security, has published extensivel­y on topics like ‘Cloud Security’ and ‘Enterprise Risk Management’

Event kicked off at 2pm, with the quiz competitio­n and the Chief Guest, Mr. Oshada Senanayake, arriving at 2:45pm

Informatiq­ue registered a major highpoint in the college’s calendar with the 2024 edition upholding the tradition of intense competitio­ns and a vibrant spirit of innovation and learning

Quiz results were: 1st place - Royal College, 2nd place - Wycherley Internatio­nal School,

3rd place - Colombo Internatio­nal School

concluded with an awards ceremony where the winners of the competitio­ns received exclusive gifts and prizes. The quiz competitio­n results were as follows: 1st place - Royal College Colombo, 2nd place - Wycherley Internatio­nal School, and 3rd place - Colombo Internatio­nal School.

The ICT Society takes pride in the event’s success and extends heartfelt thanks to those who assisted them, including individual­s outside the society. Special thanks go to the sponsors: South Asian Technologi­es (Pvt) Ltd., Taian Lanka Steel (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka Institute of Informatio­n Technology (SLIIT), Informatic­s Institute of Technology (IIT), and Beverage Partner - Elephant House.

The ICT Society looks forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come.