A wise person once said,

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”

To that, one might add: be especially willing to be a beginner on a Rotaverse day. It’s the one day where losing your dignity feels like a victory. To fully experience it, you must inadvertently dig yourself out of your comfort zone, as there are no shortcuts. You always walk away from RotaVerse with something; if it’s not a certificate, it’s the confidence, memories, and pure satisfaction of putting yourself out there.

Day 1 of RotaVerse 2025, on August 9th, like every year, started with Rtr. Yasith Adithya, the president of the Rotaract club, stepping up to address the participants. He warmly welcomed them to the wonderful day ahead, briefly explaining what Rotaract is, what was to come, and what was at stake. A video reminiscing about the past year was played to visually display the spirit of Rotaract.

To break the ice, participants were asked to start a story, one sentence at a time, with the opening line: “I was walking in the morning when I saw a chicken on the road.” The story took a world tour with twists and turns, leaving everyone overcome with laughter. It was a beautiful sight to see how a group of strangers was suddenly connected by a shared story, bound by an invisible string.

Soon after, everyone got into their pre-determined teams with coordinators and had a campsite assigned to mark their territory, which quickly filled the air with a healthy sense of competition. Once they were comfortable, they began creating team names that would speak for them before they even entered the games.

Some came up with powerful names like “VIP Guards”, “RotaSlayers” and “Five Hunters,” while others chose more playful ones like “Gru-natics,” “Kunatu,” and “Kiri Kiri bole.” Regardless of the name, each team carried it with pride, ready to defend it in every scenario.

Following this, Rtr. Yasith Adithya summoned his recruiters, the Board of Officials, to introduce their specific avenues and make their best pitches.

Once the foundation was set,

Rtr. Miyuni De Almeida, the Front Woman eerily said,

“Begin the first game.”

The game, “Dance to Different Genres,” began.

Group leaders were given chits that decided their fate: a song and a dance style.

Unlikely combinations like a Kandyan dance to the song “Gasolina” promised to strip away any sense of dignity they may have had. As everyone collaborated, trying to match each other’s moves and energy, creativity and talent seeped through every dance.

As Deok-Su once said in squid game, “It doesn’t matter how tough you are, you are not going to win on your own.”

To win this game, you had to coordinate with everyone else and get humiliated together, not alone, which was the true charm of it all.

To heal from the embarrassment, the participants were finally given a small break. After which, they come back re-energized as the Front Woman announcement echoed across:

“A player is not allowed to stop playing,”

sending a jolt of energy through the crowd.

This marked the beginning of a scavenger hunt across the campus to find hidden clues leading to the final X-spot. All the team, full of adrenaline scattered with determination to be the first to complete the challenge.

Eventually, all the groups returned, gasping for air and dripping with sweat, a clear sign of their full effort. Despite their exhaustion, a sense of satisfaction was visible on every face, knowing they had fully committed to the challenge without a second thought for what others might think as they sprinted around campus. That’s the real win.

With that, the first day of the games came to an end with a well-deserved fellowship and heartfelt words of gratitude, leaving them refreshed, satisfied, and eager for what the following days would bring.

After the in-person event, the online phase began. Throughout the week, participants had to complete a series of tasks, including creating project proposals, designing posters, and delivering pitch presentations. These activities were sure to highlight true talent and show every participant’s strengths, as the teams worked remotely to complete all the requested tasks.

Soon enough, August 16th arrived with tthe long-awaited Day 2 of RotaVerse 2025. The room filled with excited participants who couldn’t wait to get started. They all took their positions and set up their campsites.

Following that, Rtr. Miyuni De Almeida summoned the crowd, saying,

“무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다” (Mugunghwa kkochi piotsseumnida)

“The hibiscus flower has bloomed.”

With this squid game phrase, she introduced the first game of the day: Red Light, Green Light.

Participants were allowed to move towards her only when she said “green light.” During “red light,” the team coordinators had a field day, attempting to sabotage participants from other teams by making them laugh or move. Of course, a winner emerged, but everyone had a blast.

As everyone gathered again as the Commercial Bank team, the sponsors of the event, made a glorious entrance. They educated the participants on their services and encouraged them to create an account, and soon enough, their table was filled with interested participants.

Then the Front Woman announced,

“Begin the next game!”

This prompted the game where participants were tasked with matching themselves with someone who had a similar or matching word. The groups scattered, trying to make pairs, and once they did, they had to dance to a song in front of everyone which surely lead to great videos and an even better sticker collection.

Afterward, the participants had a small break and then came back ready to hear firsthand from previous Rotaract presidents in a panel discussion hosted by Rtr. Miyuni De Almeida.

The speakers were Rtr. PP Vinura Ganegoda (2017 – 2018), Rtr. PP Sethil Muhandiram (2018 – 2019), Rtr. PP Duleesha Waidyarathne (2019 – 2020), and Rtr. PP Keheliya Rajaguru (2020 – 2021).

The discussion explored how Rotaract shaped their personal and professional lives. They shared stories about their initial motivations, the skills they gained, and how overcoming challenges led to personal growth and unexpected career opportunities. They concluded by offering valuable advice for new members and sharing some of their most memorable moments.

The talk included lines like, “Get out of your comfort zone so it can shape you as a person,” and, a beautiful analogy which was the observation that ants never work alone, and neither can we. To achieve anything great, we must work together.

As Amanda Gorman said in her poem,

“Wherever we come together, we will forever overcome.”

As the talk came to a stop, it was the participants’ time to shine. They came with a bang, presenting their project ideas. From “Mic Drop Debate Edition” to “Sri Lanka’s 90s to 2000s Fair,” they brought so much color to Rotaract with endless possibilities. The presentations were followed by comments from the judges, a session that brought a lot of awareness to the thought process that goes into every Rotaract project.

The judges on the panel were:

• Rtn. Rtr. PP Kalana Peiris
• Rtn. Rtr. PP Praneeth Madusanka
• Rtr. PP Dulan Samarawickrama
• Rtr. PP Yasiru Athugaldura Arachchi

Finally, the judges decided on a winner. Following a loud drumroll, the RotaVerse Champions were revealed to be Team Kunatu!

Their project idea for a throwback event designed to celebrate the life and culture of the 90s and 2000s took the win. A big congratulations to the team coordinator, Rtr. Tharukshan Sivakumar, and the members: Shalin Ashairah Rachel Washington, Jasenthu Liyana Lehansa Malkethmi Fernando, Abishal Eliyas, Tharun De Silva, and Rividu Pesara.

The mood shifted with high-energy group games, and the evening ended with a flowing, all-out dance around the entire space.

The games were over, but the memories had just begun.

Along your Rotaract journey, you will always look back with pride at the courage you showed on this day.

So remember, RotaVerse is just the first day of the rest of your Rotaract journey. It only gets better from here.

Penned By:

Rtr. Rana Rilwan

Editor 25-26