President’s Message

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Sri Lankan Cultural Foundation of Werribee (SLCFOW) website.

It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to all of you visiting our website. As the President of SLCFOW, I am humbled and honoured to be part of an association that stands as a beacon for Sri Lankan culture in the heart of Western Melbourne.

Our journey commenced in the early 1990s when a handful of Sri Lankan families living in the Western suburbs of Melbourne recognized the vital need to introduce our rich customs and traditions to their children. This realization led to the humble beginnings of our annual Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations at Point Cook Coastal Park every April.

This family-oriented event quickly gained popularity, drawing families and friends of Sri Lankan heritage from both within and beyond the Western suburbs of Melbourne. With the growing Sri Lankan community in the West, our New Year festival expanded into a much larger and cherished social gathering.

Around the same time, Sri Lankans established the Werribee Sinhala Language School to impart Sinhala language to the younger generation. As the organizers of the school and its patrons were deeply involved in the New Year festival, the idea of forming a formal association to coordinate cultural events, including the New Year festival, was born.

In September 2010, SLCFOW was officially incorporated to promote the cultural and social values of Sri Lanka. Our management committee includes representatives from the Werribee Sinhala Language School and Catholic Sunday School of Werribee. We also maintain close ties with various cultural and religious organizations, as well as community groups. Each September, we hold our Annual General Meeting to elect office bearers, present our annual accounts, and set the course for the future.

SLCFOW is proud to organize a wide range of events to promote Sri Lankan culture, nurture camaraderie among our members and their families, and to provide valuable services to the broader community. These events encompass Clean-up Australia Day participation, Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival, Buddhist Dhamma Sermons, Christmas Carols, Musical Events, BBQs, and our much-anticipated Annual Get-Together.

We hope our website will give you a deeper insight into our association and our mission to uphold the diverse and vibrant tapestry of Sri Lankan culture. Membership of SLCFOW is open to all who wish to contribute to our cause, whether you have Sri Lankan heritage or have an appreciation of our culture.

Thank you for visiting the website and we look forward to celebrating the richness of Sri Lankan culture with you.

Warm regards,
Harindra Dissanayake
President, SLCFOW