Colombo, 26 November 2025 – The Commonwealth Games Association of Sri Lanka (CGA Sri Lanka) successfully conducted a pioneering Baton Design Competition on 25th November 2025 at the Olympic House, Colombo 07, as a lead up to the official activities of the King’s Baton Relay in Sri Lanka.

 

A total of 30 students, comprising 20 females and 10 males, represented 15 teams from the University of Kelaniya, University of Ruhuna, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, and the University of Sri Jayawardenepura. CGA Sri Lanka launched this initiative to bring forward the best creative concepts for the nation’s Baton design. Since every Commonwealth nation and territory will receive their own Baton for the first time and are encouraged to customise it to reflect their cultural identity, CGA Sri Lanka saw the value of turning this opportunity into a creative competition. Therefore, students from all state universities in Sri Lanka were invited to join this competition and submit their ideas using specially prepared dummy Batons, allowing their artistic expressions to take form.

 

The competition was evaluated by a distinguished panel of three renowned judges: Bandu Manamperi, a performance and visual artist and sculptor, founding member and Vice Chairman of Theertha International Artists’ Collective, whose work spans identity, conflict, and the human condition and has been showcased internationally in the UK, Sweden, India, Iran, the United States, and more; Dillai Joseph, an artist, painter, creative director and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience blending fine arts and advertising, who has led major campaigns for top brands and exhibited extensively in Sri Lanka and abroad; and Koralegedara Pushpakumara, visual artist, set designer, and founding member and Director of Theertha International Artists’ Collective, recipient of the national title “Kala Suri” and shortlisted for the Sovereign Art Prize in Hong Kong in 2021, with exhibitions across Sri Lanka, India, and Europe.

 

The event was graced by the Vice President of CGA Sri Lanka, Mr. Shirantha Peries, and the Chairman of the Athletes' Commission of CGA Sri Lanka, Mr. Niluka Karunaratne OLY.

 

Following this competition, the winning design and the creators behind it will be officially unveiled and awarded on 28th November 2025 at the Press Conference of the King’s Baton Relay – Sri Lanka. Members of the media are warmly invited to attend this event from 10.00 a.m. onwards at Olympic House, Colombo 07. This press conference will also mark the official commencement of the Sri Lankan leg of the King’s Baton Relay, which will continue until 3rd December.

 

About the 2026 King’s Baton and the Global Relay

 

For the first time in history, 74 Batons will be created, one for every nation and territory of the Commonwealth. Each Baton will carry a different word from The King’s Message, which collectively forms the complete message to be read at the Opening Ceremony of Glasgow 2026. These individual words will be brought to life during each nation’s Relay. The full Message will remain undisclosed until all Batons reunite in Glasgow.

 

Inspired by the core values of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Humanity, Equality and Destiny, the Baton’s form is created from three interlocking pieces of sustainably sourced Scottish ash. The negative spaces where these pieces meet represent the unity and connections of the Commonwealth. The Baton returns to a more traditional form, simple and sustainable, without electronics, serving as a blank canvas for each nation to craft its own identity.

 

All 74 Batons will be reunited at the Opening Ceremony of Glasgow 2026, where the final Baton will be presented to His Majesty King Charles III.

 

CGA Sri Lanka looks forward to celebrating the nation’s creativity, identity and unity as the King’s Baton Relay journey officially begins.

 

- End  -