Interview with Director Lenin M Sivam on his new film 'A Gun And A Ring'

A Gun and a Ring Touching upon controversial social issues that affect the Tamil diaspora, independent Canadian-Tamil film ‘A Gun and a Ring’ has been impressing audiences in various film festivals around the globe. ‘A Gun and a Ring’ premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival in June 2013, and was nominated for the Golden Goblet Award at the festival. It has since been screened at film festivals in Montreal, Louisville and Hamilton, and the Cinerockom International Film Festival where it picked up four awards. With the film set to premiere in London this weekend, Tamil Guardian...

Glitz, glamour and culture at Mega Maalai XIV

British students from across the country came together to watch a variety show that masterfully blended Tamil culture with glitz and glamour at ‘Mega Maalai XIV’. Photograph courtesy of Bee Sounds

Tamil youth worldwide celebrate Thai Pongal

Tamil youth took part in Thai Pongal festivities this week, celebrating the ancient Tamil harvest festival, in locations all across the world.

CTYA celebrates Canadian Tamil youth success

The Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA), held its 4th annual ‘Top Talents Awards Gala', in December to conclude a successful 2013 for Canadian Tamil youth. Photo:Ninaivukal The CTYA committee carefully selected members of the Canada Tamil youth community who had excelled in various fields such as music, business, arts, sports, academia and many more. Speaking to Tamil Guardian on the importance of celebrating youth success, the Vice President of CTYA, Tarchini Vallepuram, said, “Investing in our youth is essential for the overall growth of our community and broader society. Through recognition and inspiration, our youth will get motivated to pursue their dreams and reach even greater achievements.” Full list of awards winners below.

Barts students shocked by No Fire Zone documentary

After a successful Breaking The Silence genocide awareness campaign, Barts Tamil Society held a screening of the Channel 4 Documentary, 'No Fire Zone' , followed by a question and answer session with director Callum Macrae. The documentary left a fully packed lecture hall stunned into silence for minutes after the end of the film. Responding to questions on what the outcome may have been for Tamils in the North-East if the LTTE had retained control of Vaani, Macrae said, "The peace process of 2002 was relatively successful, and the Tigers themselves were successful in improving in a number of human rights issues for their people, including eradicating caste, improving women's rights etc. However it is questionable if peace talks could have been successful considering the impact of 9/11. The event swayed the balance of support and the military campaign against the Tamils was seen as a 'war on terror; which allowed Rajapaksa along with complicit members of the international community to go on, with this rhetoric enabling what was seen as the final solution."

Cambridge University crowned 'Kings Of Gaana'

Taking place for the second year in a row, the inter-university competition ‘Kings of Gaana’, hosted by King’s College London Tamil Society, provided an explosive finale for the UK Tamil student calendar. Photograph - One One 7 Resonare

Breaking The Silence Journal: King's College London

Following the success of the Breaking The Silence exhibitions at other universities such as LSE and UCL, King's College London held their exhibition on the 21st November to raise awareness amongst students of the on-going genocide committed against Tamils in Sri Lanka. The exhibition, held outside the main lecture theatre was run by members of the KCL Tamil Society. A mini-exhibition called ‘Why should we care?’ allowed students to express their reasons for taking part in the campaign. One student wrote: ‘As a human being it is the right of the human to care about someone else and, if you don...

Breaking The Silence Journal: St George's

After generating high levels of interest at 6 other London universities, the ‘Breaking the Silence’ genocide awareness campaign reached St George’s University on the 26th of November. Situated in a student hub outside St George’s Library, the exhibition attracted students and staff from all disciplines and members of the adjacent St George’s Hospital. Evocative paintings and posters outlining the ongoing genocide and human rights abuses of the Tamil nation caused many passers-by to stop and discuss the situation in Sir Lanka with members of the St George’s Tamil Society. Passers-by where...

The Eelam Tamil nation remembers

Maaveerar Naal 2013 commemorated worldwide (Denmark pictured)

Breaking The Silence Journal: City University

City University Tamil Society continued the ‘Breaking the Silence’ genocide awareness campaign last week. Holding the exhibition in the Main Building corridor, the Tamil society displayed posters that outlined the countless forms of genocidal abuses that the Tamil people face in Sri Lanka. The exhibition attracted much attention, with several students taking time to read through the posters and ask committee members questions. Students passing by signed petitions for an international independent investigation into war crimes committed in Sri Lanka, and recorded their reactions in hand-prints to make a reflective poster on the ongoing atrocities against Tamils in Sri Lanka. Joint by City University’s Amnesty International society, members of Tamil society walked students through the Breaking the Silence exhibition.

Pages