Joint Projects

It was nearly after three weeks of waiting that our delegates from Pune, India were to arrive in Sri Lanka on the 16^th of October, for the Inter-District Youth Exchange Program (IDYEP). This was a joint project organized by the Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business School and 13 other Rotaract Clubs.

The responsibilities to entertain the guests throughout their five-day stay were divided among all host clubs. Arrangements were made to pick them up from the airport and welcome them to the country. However, the members of the Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business School were to meet our guests for the first time on the 17^th, for a joint meeting followed by dinner.

It was a Thursday evening, a usual meeting day for the Rotaractors at Achievers, although the crowd and the excitement were much bigger. Over a hundred members from the host clubs, as well as a few members from the district, were present for the meeting. The Rotaract Club of the University of Peradeniya, although not being present physically, did not forget to join us through Skype.

Our five guests from Pune arrived soon after, and the Rotaract District Representative Rtr. Krishan Balaji warmly welcomed them on behalf of the clubs. A formal meeting was conducted followed by the usual proceedings. The audience was briefed on the upcoming projects of the host clubs, by their respective presidents. Rtr. Krishan Balaji also addressed the gathering and appreciated the presence of our guests. He emphasized on the importance and value of such projects, in building better friendships and cultural understanding across borders, and thanked the host clubs. One of the guests also spoke on behalf of the others and thanked the clubs for having them. She mentioned that they had a lovely stay in Sri Lanka so far and that it was a beautiful country with very hospitable people. The meeting was adjourned with that at about 7.30 PM, for fellowship.

However that was not the end of the evening, or rather, it was just the beginning. There were quite a few ice breakers planned before the crowed could set out to dinner. The Rotaract Club of Colombo Mid Town was ready with a quiz for the audience, which boosted the spirit in everybody. The members of all clubs and the guests were divided into teams so that they could mix with new people, and the quiz was conducted. The members participated enthusiastically (and maybe a little competitively) and it was made to be a very fun-filled evening.

This was followed by an open mic session organized by the Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business School. This was unsurprisingly featured by Rtr. Thisura, our very own Secretary. Due to time constraints, we had to keep it short to a few minutes. Nevertheless, Thisura never fails to entertain a crowd when a mic is given to his hand!

The night was getting darker and the crowd was getting hungrier, but everyone was still busy. The Presidents were exchanging Letter Heads with the foreign clubs, and the members were busy grabbing photographs and having their last-minute catch up with our guests who were to leave for Kandy the next morning. Finally, after a long session of mingling, the crowd made up their minds to set out to dinner.

The dinner was organized by the Rotaract clubs of Achievers Lanka Business School and Colombo Uptown and was held at Dutch Burgher Union, which was within walking distance from Achievers. Members from the two organizing clubs and few others joined, and everybody enjoyed a delicious Sri Lankan cuisine together. After another hour or so of more chatting and photographs, we had to put an end to the night.

We had to say our good-byes to our friends, as they were not returning back to Colombo. It was indeed a difficult good-bye, as they had touched our hearts deeply during their short stay. However, we could not be more grateful for their visit, the little things learned, memories created, and friendships enhanced!

Rtr. Kalani Siriwardena

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Aluth Avurudu in Sinhala) is a very important occasion for both Sinhala Buddhists and the Tamil Hindus of Sri Lanka. The uniqueness of this occasion is the celebration of the beginning of the New Year as well as the ending of the old year at the auspicious times stated by astrologers.

There is also a time period in between, which is called the ‘Nonagathaya’ (neutral period). During this transition time, the Sri Lankans are encouraged to refrain from routine actions and engage solely in religious activities. People stop all their day-to-day activities and visit the temple to accrue merit and get blessings from almighty.

Rituals begin with a bath on the last day of the old year and viewing the moon on the same night. People apply ‘nanu’ on their head and body before bathing. This is believed to have a purifying effect on the body and the soul.

The New Year is celebrated with boiling milk in a new clay pot, symbolizing prosperity as the milk spills over from all sides of the pot. After that, milk rice is cooked. A number of traditional Sinhala sweetmeats such as ‘Kokis‘, ‘Aasmee‘, ‘Kewum‘, ‘Aluwa‘ and ‘Weli Thalapa‘ are also prepared to serve near and dear ones.

At the temple, the villages gather to have anointed oil on their heads by the head priest. This ritual is also performed at their own homes, where the oldest family member anoints the herbal oil on the heads of other family members.

When departing for work people wait for the auspicious time to leave and begin their chores in the New Year with zeal and vigor.

   Rtr. Amiteshwar Pratap Singh

In this blog, I am going to take you on a journey through the beautiful culture of Punjab courtesy of our friends at the Rotaract Club of Mohali. The majority religion practiced in Punjab is Sikhism and there are five Gurudwaras (or places of worship) in Sikhism known as the Panj Takht, translating into the Five Thrones. These sites hold the utmost importance in Sikh culture and are places of assembly and worship for Sikhs. They are also welcome to people from all faiths without discrimination. Three out of these five holy sites are situated in Punjab, namely the Akal Takht Sahib, situated in the world-famous complex of the Golden Temple in Amristar, Takht Sri Kesgar Sahib in Anandpur and the Sri Damdama Sahib in Bathinda.

When we delve deeper into Punjabi culture we can learn about their two main cultural festivals. The first of these is known as Baisakhi and is celebrated on the 13^th or 14^th of April each year, very much like the Sinhalese and Tamil new year. It is a harvesting festival and also commemorates the dawn of the new solar year. Secondly, there is Lohri, celebrated on the 13^th of January. It marks the end of winter and a traditional welcome of longer days and the sun’s journey to the northern hemisphere. It is traditionally celebrated by lighting a bonfire in the night where a crowd gathers and enjoys the night together.

Further, Punjab is known worldwide for its traditional dances; the Bhangra and the Gidha. The Bhangra is associated with the dawn of the new year of Baisakhi as we stated previously, and it is associated with harvesting and also draws its name from one of the major products of the harvest- the bhang. The Gidha is also a popular dance for the women of the Punjabi region.

Now let’s stimulate our test buds by getting to know a bit about delicious Punjabi food. The cultural food of Punjab is called Makke di roti and Sarson da saag. The roti is made from maize flour making it a distinctive yellow in color, while saag is a side dish made from mustard greens with added spices.

That was certainly an illuminating journey down Punjabi culture and I would like to express my gratitude to the Rotaract Club of Mohali for giving us this opportunity to take a small peek into the wonderful culture of Punjab.

Rtr. Rahul Jeyanthan

#WeLoveTheSea, which was a Global Action to clean the beach, happened on the 15^th of September 2019 at the Wellawatta Beach organized by more than 10 Rotaract Clubs. It was truly amazing to see how many Clubs had come together to clean the beach of its garbage contained shore. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country famous for being an island surrounded by the big blue sea, and this sea is Sri Lanka’s precious diamond. However, it is sad to see that people tend to overcrowd the beaches and pollute its shores, which harms not only its sustainability and purity but also its marine life. However, on the 15^th of September Rotaractors from multiple clubs got together and cleaned the coast starting from one side to the end of the other side.

This is how it happened!

Rotaractors arrived at the Wellawatta Beach at 9.30 a.m. on the 15th and the clean-up commenced at 10.00 a.m. There were sacks marked with ribbons in different colors (Black – Plastic, Brown – Glass, Pink – Rubber and cans, Green – Polythene, Cream – Metal, None – Degradable) to indicate what type of waste should go in the sack to make it easy for the collection of garbage and disposal of it as well. Each person had a sack to which they collected the relevant type of garbage into, and it was amazing how hard working everyone was because each sack contained garbage which had been collected along the coast. A while later it started to rain, but nobody hesitated to finish the job they started, everyone kept collecting garbage into their respective sacks, and it was surprising when individuals who had come to do their daily exercise at the beach too helped to clean the beach, which was something unexpected and beautiful to see. Moreover, a family who lives in the beachside as an appreciation of the hard work, made everyone who had volunteered to clean the beach, a morning cup of tea, which was very generous of them since everyone was soaking wet from the rain.

At first, it seemed like the beach was pretty clean, but the deeper we got in, we found a lot of little pieces of debris. Towards the end, we came back to the starting point and all the sacks were kept in one place. All the volunteers that morning removed a massive amount of garbage and prevented them from polluting the ocean. It was nice to see how strong we all are in number being able to help the environment united, as one, and the energy between the Rotaractors was amazing, and the appreciation and gratefulness from the bystanders were tremendous. Besides the actual act of cleaning the beach, it was evident that when people come together for such great causes it not only makes the cause so sweet, but it drives people to do more good, not individually but together as a community, because at the end of the day, Sri Lanka belongs to all of us equally.

The sheer amount of garbage produced in the country—7, 500 MT daily—coupled with inadequate waste disposal facilities, has adversely affected our ocean’s ecology. Therefore, by doing such beach clean-ups it makes sure that plastic pollutants, to a certain extent have been prevented from going into the sea and harming the innocent ever so graceful marine life. 2/10 sea turtles die of consuming plastic bags mistaking them for jellyfish, and how sad and cruel is that? Due to dumping, and unethical ways of disposing the land produced garbage, many animals in the ocean go through tough times and end up dying, and initiatives like beach clean-ups is a very good start in protecting the ecology.

It must also be kept in mind that the ocean is for everyone, the sandy shores are for everyone, the beach is for everyone, and by keeping the beaches clean we not only help the marine life, but also it becomes a cleanly place for every living being including US humans, no matter how ironic it may seem since it is also the very same US who pollute the beaches. Not to forget the fact that this promotes tourism too! Sri Lanka is famous for its beaches and keeping them clean will surely attract many tourists!

It is of no doubt that everyone who joined hands to help our mother nature be clean in this hour of need, not only did a good cause, but also went away with some beautiful memories and newly built friendships which will be redefined throughout.

Rtr. Bipash Suriyage

Cover Page courtesy of Rotaract Club of SLIIT

‘’Till the full stop doesn’t come, the sentence is not complete’

Mahendra Singh Dhoni –

 

Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business School for the year 2018/19 paid off successfully in terms of International Service Avenue. As such the year 2019/20 for Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business School has started the journey with the hopes of great success in the International Service Avenue with a set of immersive projects upcoming.

As the quote above mentions, there is no end in educating oneself and also learning about facts which people would love to know and some might not be interested. But apart from that, educating yourself with all kind of facts also makes someone special. Similarly where CRICKET is the second most popular game in the world, and it is important in knowing the facts about cricket. Project ‘’WILLOW MANIA” is the first International Service project for the year 2019/20 to make an understand how important cricket is to many societies by making the club members more enthusiastic about the field they love and also to the members who are not aware to become one.

Project ‘WILLOW MANIA’ was organized on 15^th of August 2019 after the joint meeting with the Rotaract Club of Informatics Institute of Technology (RACIIT). So, we had higher participation from the RACIIT which gave a huge contribution to our project. The project had a unique way of professionalism in order to keep the momentum of the game flowing, by providing each team with a buzzer (rarely worked) option in terms of ‘First come first served’ basis to answer the questions. Which also made the game more interesting and enjoyable to all the fellow rotaractors.

The project was organized by our International Service Directors Rtr. Rahul Jeyanthan and Rtr. Kalani Siriwardhana. Where Rtr. Rahul Jeyanthan host the event, while the Professional Development Director Rtr. Suwithi Karunasekara was assigned as the Scorekeeper. All the members in the room were split into 3 teams as (Team A, Team B, and Team C) where each team consisted of 15-18 members from both the Rotaract Club of Achievers and IIT. Coincidently both the presidents of RAC IIT and RAC Achievers were split into two different teams, where both were acting like a normal participant for the time being for the fun of it in the game.

The quiz was divided into 3 different rounds. Which is a Test match round, T20 and One Day International Domestic round and the final round was the World Cup round. Where each round consists of 11 questions and the points were scored as 0 hints – 6 runs, 1 hint – 4 runs, 2 hints – 2 runs. If a team gives an incorrect answer another team will get the chance to get the opportunity and will be given half the allocated points per questions. If the 1^st answer gets wrong Rtr. Rahul will give the first hint, where if a team comes with a correct answer after the 1^st hint, they will be given 4 runs. And if the 2^nd answer also goes wrong Rtr. Rahul will be providing a second hint and where if a team comes with a correct answer after the 2^nd hint, they will be given 2 runs (I know right!, a bit confusing). As usual, the team with the highest runs wins the match.

At the end of the Test match round (1^st round) Team A scored 8 runs, Team B scored 13 runs and Team C scored 17 runs and the Team C were leading. And at the end of the T20 and One Day International Domestic round (2^nd round) Team A scored 25 runs, Team B scored 50 runs and Team C scored 55 runs and still retained leading. And before the last question of the Quiz, Team B was 62 runs and Team C was 62 runs and it was a similar situation like the World Cup 2019 final, where even they ended up scoring the same and they were supposed to play a super-over match in order to select the Champions of the World Cup 2019. As such the Willow Mania Quiz became such a situation where the last question will decide the Champion of the Willow Mania. And all 3 teams were so excited to press the buzzer to answer 1^st. And the Team B pressed the buzzer 1^st but was not been able to give the correct answer. So, team C grabbed the opportunity and came up with the right answer and became the champions of Willow Mania by scoring 66 runs at the end of the day.

In between when the game was flowing, the irritating part for our own Professor IS Director Rtr. Rahul Jeyanathan was even before he asked the question the buzzer was pressed. And the most noticeable part is the buzzer was kept pressing by the same team and by the same person over and over again. At one-point Professor Rtr. Rahul got tempered and wanted that particular team to answer without knowing the question as they were repeatedly doing the same mistake, which also made the event more exciting and entertaining.

Victory or defeat, after all, it’s all about learning and getting to know the facts. And all the teams, both the Rotaract Clubs of Achievers and IIT have fully enjoyed the event and showed their best fellowship by cheering and congratulating the winning team as well. At the end of the day, the project greater than expected by an immense number of participants by both the Rotaract Clubs and each person leaving the room while knowing a little bit more than they knew about the great game of CRICKET.

Rtr. Rishad Mohiyade

It was the 14^th of December and members from all clubs rallied together at Racecourse at 5: 30 AM (In the morning :D), way past the time they were asked to come( 4:30 AM). Anyway, after all the members came, we left for the school in Chillaw. Half the bus was sleeping at 6:30 AM and the guys got their phones out to take some decent photos of the sleepyheads. I had brought sandwiches according to the plan, but I was betrayed by two of my fellow cluster members who said they would bring too. Anyway, the group enjoyed the sandwiches with some opting for another.

We finally reached the school at 9:30 and was greeted with milk rice and “Katta sambal”. The principal was overjoyed to see and so were the kids. The principal had previously asked some kids to come and help and as they saw us, they had a beaming smile over their face. The students rushed towards us and greeted us saying “Good Morning Aiya” and “Good Morning Aunty”. The female students hid with a shy smile.

After the very satisfying Milk rice, we decided to get to work. The Cluster representatives were allocated parts of the school to be in charge when painting. Each team had around 8 members with a mix of all clubs so that people would get to know each other mingle if needed. The members were decided at the discretion of the cluster reps and Hamdhan.

Buckets were brought by our “Baas” and so were paint brushes as asked. We, being amateurs at it, let the Baas mix the paint with water. According to him, we should put 2 liters of water with 1 liter of paint, so we did learn something new.

4 members from Rotaract Club of Chunnakam came soon afterward ready to play dirty. Buckets and Brushes were handed and they got to it without hesitation. This was the first time we, the other cluster representatives met the cluster representative from Chunnakam (Anojan) and was surprised when we saw the size of him( You can imagine a miniature hulk).

2 hours passed and we haven’t completed half of what we had planned to complete. The clubs reps met near the giant teak tree for a discussion.

Shenal says “Machan, my team has completed a lot, I’ve been coaching them on how to do it properly”

And Angelo follows by saying “Yeah same here” my guys needed a little push, but we are handling it”.

Then I say “ Well, our guys are really trying, the front wall was too dirty to paint so we had to clean and one coat isn’t enough we probably need to paint it thrice” and the guys say “Ok ok try to finish it quickly”

And Anuradha says “Ok so, the books will be arranged in the library later, we’ve started painting the walls, there’s a lot of dust but we will manage”.

Everybody goes back to their designated areas and start continuing until lunch.

Before lunch, I went and checked the walls and was surprised by the beauty of it. The guys had done an amazing job, and everybody wanted to perfect it. People were keen on painting every tiny part of the wall, without having and spots. They would paint and re-paint until they got it right. As I was passing the principal, I saw him look at the walls with pride and stared at the walls. The kids had brought their parents to show their new school and the parents blessed us with well wishes.

Then, at 1:30 we were called for lunch and everybody gathered at the classroom to enjoy food prepared by parents. The principal has assigned food for parents and one had brought “dhal curry” and one had a “fish ambul thiyal” and so on. The guys thoroughly enjoyed the meal with most opting for a re-serve. Then for dessert, we had pineapple slices and bananas and me being the fruit lover ate more fruits than the main meal.

After Lunch, we got back to the rest of the work. More people gathered at the gate wall to witness the beauty of it. It wasn’t complete but we felt the beauty it was going to be once it was completed. Then we got the problems. The paint was over and we needed more paint brushes and we needed more wire brushes. But luckily, there was a Hardware shop nearby and one of the parents had a bike. He and I rushed to the store and bought all the necessities and came back and distributed it to the guys.

In the evening we were able to cherish our childhood memories by having “Ice packets” which were bought at the boutique next to the school. The guys really loved, and it brought back some good school memories, although, for some of us, it was the first time.

Then at around 6pm, the work was almost over. The gate wall was over and so was the outer walls of one building. What was remaining was the re-painting the library and one more wall which the guys decided to do on another day.  We left at 6:30 after donating all the books. It took a good 5 minutes for 5 guys to get all the books to the library. The principal and kids couldn’t believe their eyes. We had to keep most of the books on the floor because there wasn’t enough space.

Then near Kaduwela, Anuradha and Shenal agreed to honor the deal and decided to buy the guys some short eats. They bought rolls and patties for everyone from a Perera and Sons close by.

We finally reached Racecourse and the cluster team had to bid farewell with a heavy heart. It was the last time they would see each other for a long time. But we had to learn with only the fond memories.

For me, this cluster project had shown me how people are deep inside. Loyalty towards team members, perseverance, undying commitment and love to truly help ones in need.

Rtr. Hasitha Jayasuriya

Let’s have a look back at the rotaract year 2017-18 of both the Rotaract Club De Beyrouth from Lebanon & the Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business from Sri Lanka. We are proud to announce them as our Twin Club and it was nice to work with them together.

Let’s discuss the similarities between us, Sri Lankans and our dear neighbours, Indians. Here are our top 10 picks! Thanks to our twin club, Rotaract Club of Bombay West, for helping us to make this bulletin.

Secluded from the rest of Indonesia, yet rich in its own culture and beauty, Bali is one of the few islands in the world that has more to offer than a few ludicrously expensive hotels and perfect beaches. The real beauty of the island lies in its history and its people. A cultural phenomenon in itself, Bali is a paradise for the avid wanderer who seeks all that cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Art and Culture

The Arts and Culture of Bali are deeply bound to its long preserved religious rites of Hinduism, which remained the dominant religion in the Island despite the onset of Islam as the dominant religion in the region. One of the many ancient artistic features of Bali is its numerous, unique dances, which are nothing less than iconic in regards to its cultural significance. Balinese dances involve many ritualistic styles and forms that seek to express stories through traditional dance-drama. Often incorporating emphasized gestures of fingers, eyes and facial movements as well as remarkable costumes and striking body paint.

An equally significant aspect of Balinese culture is the beautiful art of Balinese Wayang, or in other words: Shadow Play. Perhaps the most famous show in Balinese theatre, in a Wayang performance, flat cut-out figures are silhouetted against a translucent, rice paper screen, lit by a coconut- husk lamp. Accompanied by a gamelan(traditional ensemble music) orchestra and occasional chanting or singing, these entertaining performances harken back hundreds of years, tapping into religious mythology or well-known Balinese sagas blended with historical facts. This whole show is managed with just one highly skilled puppet master, or dalang.

Community

 Bali possesses a strong communal system which sees to the betterment of each and every individual belonging to it. Even though tourism is the island’s largest contributor to its GDP, agriculture is still its biggest employer. Hence, the lifestyle of the Balinese community is mainly centered around agriculture, with the majority of people adhering to the Balinese concept of ‘Tri Hita Karana’: to keep a balance between human and environment, human and human and lastly, human and god.

The Balinese community is often organized in ‘Banjars’, whose purpose is to help each other in social activities such as weddings,  deaths, and refurbishment of temple etc. A Banjar often consists of about 150 families, who are all lead by Klian Banjar.

Landmarks and Geography

 Despite being barely 0.3% of the total area of Indonesia, Bali boasts a spectacular diversity in terms of its geography. From immaculate beaches to active volcanoes with a landmass surrounded by countless coral reefs, Bali is a place that is truly remarkable. The Island is an absolute paradise for those that seek adventure with countless landmarks strewn all over the island.

Perhaps the most significant of these is Mount Agung. Nearly twice the height of its neighbouring volcano Mount Batur, Mount  Agung stands at 3,031m tall, dominating its surrounding area and greatly influencing the rain patterns and the weather conditions of the region.  Balinese believe that Mt. Agung is a replica of Mt Meru, the central axis of the universe and the most important temple on Bali, Pura Besakih, is located high on the slopes of Gunung Agung.

Another equally remarkable site is the Pemuteran’s, Hidden Underwater Temple. Contrary to what one might think it is not a complete ruin infested by aquatic life. Deliberately constructed underwater as part of an environmental conservation programme, 10 massive statues and a four-meter-high temple entranceway was sunk 29 meters deep. Years later, marine life has made the temple its home, creating a man-made reef setting that is both impossibly magical and open for discovery.

Food

 A delicacy that is central to Indonesian culinary culture is satay, also spelled as sate. This is popular not only in Bali but also across Indonesia and the entirety of Southeast Asia and has many parallels in other nations, such as Turkish shish kebab or South African sosatie. Satay consists of skewers of meat flavored with spices, grilled or barbecued and then served with a number of accompaniments. The skewers themselves are usually made from the midrib of the coconut palm frond or from bamboo and the meat that is placed on them varies widely, although chicken, pork, and mutton are among the most common.

Another popular choice for visitors exploring Balinese cuisine is gado-gado. It is a widely variated dish that is served throughout Indonesia and can work as both the main event of a meal or as an accompanying side. It is found at stalls, from vendors and in restaurants and hotels and a dried mix is often found in shops, meaning that by simply adding water, it is now possible to try and make it for yourself. In essence, gado-gado is a vegetable salad covered with a peanut sauce. There are numerous regional variations, the most significant of which is whether or not the vegetables are cooked or raw; both versions are widely consumed.

Rtr. Putri Gyani Kadek Gyan
Rotaract Bali Ubud

The City

Tijuana is a Mexican city, located just across the border from San Diego, California, USA. It is the largest city in the state of Baja California and on the Baja California Peninsula. The border between Mexico and the United States in Tijuana is the busiest in the world, and is one of the largest. It is often called the “most crossed border in the world”. About 300,000 visitors cross by foot or car from the San Ysidro point of entry in the United States every day. Restaurants and taco stands, pharmacies, bars and dance clubs, and shops and stalls selling Mexican crafts and souvenirs are part of the draw for the city’s tourists, many located within walking distance of the border.

The climate is warm, but not too warm, making it the ideal place to go on vacation. Tijuana is set up perfectly for any visitor, whether they are visiting for a day, or a week!

Tijuana is a large manufacturing center, and in addition to tourism, it serves as a cornerstone of the city economy. In the past decade alone, Tijuana became the medical device manufacture capital of the North American continent.

The food scene

Tijuana has become a foodie destination in recent years. Whether it’s a food cart, a food hall or a fancy rooftop deck, the city’s culinary options are diverse, innovative and most of all delicious.

Many claim the Caesar Salad was invented in Tijuana by Chef Cesar Cardini, and Caesar’s Restaurant Bar is where you can enjoy the original recipe, along with many other Mexican and international specialties. Or you can explore Tijuana’s emerging food scene at some of the newer, innovative restaurants serving Baja-Med Cuisine, a combination of the ingredients and flavors of Baja California with those of the Mediterranean and Asia.

Tijuana is known as Mexico’s go-to foodie city and is famous for its street tacos. Unofficially, Tijuana is the taco capital of the world. This is mainly because the border town is an immigrant hub for people of all over Mexico who bring their different cooking styles with them. With Sonora Tortillas, Sinaloa style seafood techniques, beef from Coahuila and Baja’s own prime seafood, it’s no wonder you’ll find everything from Carne Asada to Octopus Tacos in Tijuana that are unrivaled anywhere else in the country.

Architectural brilliance

Tijuana is famous for several eye-catching sights and monuments.

Centro Cultural Tijuana, the Tijuana Cultural Center is easily recognizable thanks to the distinctive spherical building. Nicknamed “La Bola” for its shape, the ball houses an IMAX theater. The cultural complex is also comprised of a theater and a cubic-shaped exhibit space, and the adjacent Museo de las Californias has a permanent exhibition detailing the history of the region from prehistoric times to the present day, and also hosts temporary exhibits on a variety of themes. There are a number of cultural events that take place in the cultural center’s esplanade year round, so it’s worth checking it out to see what’s on during your visit.

Plaza Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest squares in Tijuana and is located on Calle Primera and Avenida Revolución. The modern iconic arch that represents the city of Tijuana and symbolizes the connection between Mexico and the United States, contrasts with the traditional arches behind the plaza’s stage. The patron saint of music, Saint Cecilia, gives this plaza its name. Mariachis and Mexican folk dance troupes are common sights at this location.

The Tijuana Mexico Temple is a temple (completed in 2015) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Tijuana, México.

The Tijuana Temple was built with a hacienda architectural style inspired by local designs. Finishes include a mixture of frosted gold, carved, and textured clear glass accented with green terracotta and carpets with Mexican and Spanish designs. The floors are made of carved stone and quarried in Europe and China, and the doors and handrails are mahogany with brass hardware.

The Cosmopolitan Tower is the smart building that complies with the highest sustainability certifications in all of the northwest. With this tower, Tijuana already has three sustainable buildings.

Home to a football miracle!

Tijuana is home to professional baseball, football, and basketball teams, which the locals follow fervently.

Baseball has been, for decades, the people’ favorite sport. The city has even brewed a number of Major League Baseball competitors such as Benjamin Gil, Esteban Loaiza and Oscar Robles.

The strong, cultural influence that the U.S. has over Tijuana has resulted in a consistent basketball activity and following. The city is home to two professional Basketball teams; Cosmos de Tijuana and Zonkeys de Tijuana.

Unlike the rest of the country, football wasn’t big in Tijuana as recently as the past decade. This changed in 2011, when the Club Tijuana, also known as Xolos, got promoted to the top professional league in Mexico. Only a year later, in 2012, the team won the league title, cementing its legend in the history of Mexican football forever.

Bullring by the Sea…

The Plaza Monumental de Tijuana, commonly known in English as Bullring by the Sea, is a 22,000 seater bullring located Tijuana. Apart bullfighting, It has also been the scene for great boxing matches, concerts, cultural, and sporting events that have benefited the Tijuana community greatly.

Opened in 1960, the Plaza Monumental de Tijuana is the second largest bullring in Mexico, and the only seaside bullring in the whole world.

Origin of a Grammy Award winner

Julieta Venegas is a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and a producer who originated from Tijuana.She was nominated for Grammy awards four times and was able to win it in 2007.

Few of her notable works include the album Sí and singles “Andar Conmigo” and “Algo está cambiando” which were positioned at the top of Latin Billboard. And her worldwide hit “Me Voy” is Gold certified in Mexico.

Rtr. Fernanda Acre
Rotaract Tijuana