An educational and empowering event bringing together key emergency services — NZ Police, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, and St John Ambulance. This interactive workshop offered valuable insights into safety, emergency preparedness, and first response practices. Community members had the chance to engage directly with frontline heroes, ask questions, and learn practical skills to stay safe and informed. A vital day of learning, connection, and community resilience in action!

A dazzling celebration to ring in the New Year in style! The 31 Night Countdown Extravaganza 2024 brought the community together for an evening of excitement, entertainment, and pure joy. With vibrant music, lively performances, festive games, and a thrilling countdown to midnight, the night was filled with energy and unforgettable moments. A perfect start to the year, surrounded by laughter, love, and the spirit of togetherness!

We commemorated Canta Lankans’ 17th anniversary with past committee members and current members, enjoying a quiz night and delicious food.

We had another opportunity to present a cultural dance at Culture Galore 2024. The younger Sri Lankan community delivered a stunning folk dance performance.

Canta Lankans organised a gathering with Sri Lankan business owners to foster connections, share experiences and challenges, offer mutual support, and promote their businesses within the Canterbury community.

Canta Lankans joined an online session hosted by the Heritage Force Sri Lanka to share their recent projects and encourage the SL community in Canterbury to support them preserve our rich cultural heritage.

Canta Lankans gathered with our Sri Lankan friends in Christchurch for a family get-together, enjoying a potluck filled with delightful chats, games, and dancing.

We marked the 16th anniversary of Canta Lankans with our former committee. Everyone provided feedback, offered advice, and we concluded the evening with a delightful spread of food and drinks.

Canta Lankans organised Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations for 2023. There were a variety of events, including musical chairs, Awurudu Kumara/Kumariyo, tug of war, gooni race, kotta pora, and many more. With around 400 Sri Lankans showing up for the celebrations, this event was very successful and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Due to the massive success of the Talent Show 2021, Canta Lankans held the Talent Show 2022 to cater to our community’s need to showcase their talents. With performance slots filling up in the space of a few weeks, this event was another major hit.

The Talent Show 2021 was the first event held by Canta Lankans aimed at giving an opportunity for Sri Lankans living in Christchurch to showcase their multitude of talents in music, dancing, acting, and the arts.

At the biggest Canta Lankans event for 2019, three of the most popular artists from Sri Lanka (Amarasiri Peiris, Nirosha Virajini, and Kasun Kalhara) performed live on stage. The music was performed by an experienced band led by Suresh Maliyadde.

Canta Lankans organised a softball (tape ball) cricket tournament for all ages. There was a bouncy castle for kids. There were Sri Lankan food stalls to have that authentic experience, and many more entertaining events. This event had a bit of everything: some competition, some fun, and a lot of smiles.

Canta Lankans started the festivities this season with an evening of music, dancing, and all-you-can eat Rotti! With Sri Lankans from all over Canterbury joining to sing together, spring was welcomed in style. Everyone helped out by bringing food to the potluck dinner, ensuring the night went smoothly.

Canta Lankans organised Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations for 2016. There were a variety of events to get people of all ages involved. These games provided a fun start to everyone’s new year.

Canta Lankans organised a fun day out for all friends and family. There was something for everybody, including fun games and afternoon DJ music. With bouncy castles and face painting for kids and balloon games and paper trails for teens and adults, everyone had a chance to get involved and have fun.