She Radiates 2026 celebrates women leading change

The evening featured two elegant participant-led fashion showcases with GFlock and Radi, a live makeup demonstration by Ramani Fernando, and a special performance by emerging artist Emma Shanaya

- BY DIVYA THOTAWATTE

AN elegant fête of inspiration and meaningful dialogue, She Radiates 2026, the inaugural flagship event by WeOptimize, brought together renowned Sri Lankan women leaders and innovators, sharing their insights with an engaged audience.

The event, held at Galle Face Hotel on 12 March, was a celebration of International Women's Day 2026. The Jubilee Ballroom was filled to capacity with 190 participants, where participants gathered to honour the strength, leadership, and brilliance of women.

WeOptimize Founder and Director Chandi Dharamarathne highlighted the significance of the event, pointing to data that showed that only around 30% of women participated in Sri Lanka's workforce and that there was only 10% of women>s representation on the boards of Colombo Stock Exchange listed companies.

"So what can we do as women? We can be the anchor. We can be the support that we need... by mentoring, supporting their career approach, and opening doors to help women to achieve their potential in their workplaces."

With this backdrop, she shared that her vision behind She Radiates 2026 was to create a network of women, where they could share personal journeys, forge meaningful connections, and support and inspire one another.

The speakers of the event echoed this sentiment, sharing notes from their personal journeys and offering valuable guidance to drive the growth of women leaders, professionals, and change-makers.

Discussing the successes behind her most notable global wins, Former Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake stressed that mastering attire and appearance were crucial for a working woman. "For me, dressing is of paramount importance as a woman... especially in the corporate world, to look good, feel good, feel strong. And then you are ready to perform."