A new Trust has been established to administer and manage the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre, providing the institution with greater administrative and financial autonomy.
The Trust was formally constituted on September 18 and will serve as an interim governing body until the Centre is eventually handed over to the Jaffna Municipal Council.
Its Board comprises four ex-officio members, including the Jaffna Municipal Commissioner, Mayor of the Jaffna Municipal Council, a representative of the Northern Provincial Administration and the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
Five additional members with expertise in arts and culture, commerce, education, law, and science and technology, all from Jaffna, will also serve on the Board.
Built with a USD 12 million grant from the Government of India, the Centre features a two-storey museum, a theatre-style auditorium with seating for more than 600 people, an 11-storey learning tower and a public amphitheatre.
The foundation stone was laid by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Jaffna in March 2015. The Centre was inaugurated in March 2022 and formally dedicated to the people of Sri Lanka in February 2023.
The newly established Trust is expected to strengthen the Centre's institutional capacity and support its transition towards financial self-sustainability, with the long-term aim of developing it into a hub for artistic, cultural and academic activities in Jaffna and the Northern Province.
