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2007
Australian of
the Year Awards recipients
Australia's Local
Hero
Shanaka Fernando
Social challenger
By establishing the "Lentil as
Anything" concept, Shanaka Fernando
has set a wholly successful example
to society of how a commercial
enterprise can be operated on a
socially responsible, idealistic and
altruistic basis and still be
financially successful and popular
with the public. Since Shanaka
relinquished his personal capital in
the first restaurant and turned it
into a cooperative and youth
training enterprise, the business
has grown into four restaurants
employing about eighty young people
and providing space for artists and
writers. This not-for-profit
business celebrates compassion,
individuality, and artistic
expression under a philosophy that
challenges and defies our
consumerist society. The policy of
"no set prices" where customers pay
only what they can afford or what
they think the meal was worth is a
social experiment that encourages
people to have an internal
conversation with their conscience
and their ethics. And on top of
that, the food is terrific.
As a member of the Group
of '87, you have bought honour and
fame to Sri Lanka, Royal College and
to our batch and we salute you on
your incredible achievement.
We wish you all the best and a great
future
ahead.
To read more about this award, click
at
http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/pages/page305.asp
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