ROOK CALLY BALTHAZAR, Mayor of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the city conclave of Kerala in Kochi 13 September 2025 | Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakat
Returning Cally Balthazaar looks too young to be on the front line that siege siege in the city. But that’s exactly what she did three years ago, while occupied Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, during the folk struggle – Aragalaya, as Sinhala has been called since then.
The youngest-and only the second, who held the City Council of Colombo (CMC), Mrs. Balthazaar, who was in the city to participate in the two-day urban conclave of Kerala, which was closed on Saturday (September 13, 2025), was Napologic, called Aragalaya. Ten weeks ago she was elected to lead the city itself, on which she once besieged.
In an interview with Hindu on the outskirts of the City Conclave, Mrs. Balthazaar said that 2,500 meetings of the parties involved, which took place before the preparation of the main plan for Kochi, was amazed. He is now determined to return to his city and consult the most stakeholders as possible for the integrated main plan for Colombo.
“Kochi Has Done Something Very Important and Interesting by Engaging with People-Bringing on Board Perspectives on Gender, Heritage, and Creating and Child-Friendly City. It Is Equally Important That We Return and Hold As Many Picisymakers and City Planners, But Also with the People of the City to UnderStand What They Want for Themelves, ”She Said.
Mrs. Balthazaar said that although there was no official contract with Kochi Corporation, learning and relationship would not end with the conclusion of the conclave and would certainly continue.
She asked a predominantly political landscape controlled by men and was elected to hold the largest of the local bodies of Sri Lanka and stated that the old political hierarchy was overthrown. “As a mayor of the city, it is my work to work with people and not forget what they want. As long as I am with people, my gender and age, it barely changes,” she said.
Mrs. Balthazaar took that the climate change did not receive the meaning he deserved. “If we do not address climate change, then we will not really be ready for the future. I think we have to learn a lot from Keraly, especially Kochi, a coastal city like Colombo. We are still struggling with many infrastructure problems;
Published – 13 September 2025 20:31 is
