The first ever Google Map – up Training Program at a Sri Lankan School was held on the 8th of February 2014,  at Royal College Main ICT laboratory.

A Map – Up is an event in which a group of people come together to improve the places they know and love on Google Maps by using Google Map Maker.

The Prefects’ Council of Royal College, together with many other stakeholders, including Mr. Rohan Jayaweera, the Google Country Consultant for Sri Lanka and Maldives, and the batch of 2008 of Royal College, successfully carried out the training session with the encouraging words of the Principal of Royal College, Mr. Upali Gunasekera.

The project involved the marking of all religious places in Sri Lanka on the Google Maps tool, so as to facilitate effective identification of Ethnic and Religious Harmony within this esteemed institution, in lieu of the Geneva Convention.

30 Royalists’ took part in this training program, namely, 15 Probationary Stewards and 15 Probationary Junior Stewards.

At the point of commencement of this training program, Mr. Rohan Jayaweera, stated

” This is not just another map-up. This is special to us because School students are using technology to promote religious harmony. This is also the first time a map-up has come to a school level.”

At the end of the map – up training session, more than 250 religious locations were marked on the Google Maps tool, all over the country.

The supported parties and the stakeholders too had a big impact on the success of the project. The parties include

Mr. Rohan Jayaweera, Google Country Consultant for Sri Lanka and Maldives

Rashmika Nawaratne with the support of Batch of 2008

Dihan Perera, Manager Google Map Maker and his team including Tharaka Devinda, Sarfraz Qureshi, Udaya Gunathilaka and Pasindu De Silva

Priyesh Perera, Deputy Head Prefect of Royal College

Also at the event, Royal College premises was captured for Google Photosphere. The Google Sphere images can be viewed from the following links:

1. Main Hall – http://goo.gl/mfj5gD

2. Quadrangle – http://goo.gl/YfqfF3

3. West Wing Lobby – http://goo.gl/j1YRft

4. Grade 1 Building – http://goo.gl/SRQduP

5. Grade 5 Building – http://goo.gl/xLgmND

6. Main Ground – http://goo.gl/UKBBkJ

7. Basketball Court – http://goo.gl/DH5iJC

8. Hero’s monument – http://goo.gl/WLYfEP

9. Legendary Siyambala Tree – http://goo.gl/sjKvlP

10. Grade 6 Building – http://goo.gl/3GdNzY

11. Junior Ground – http://goo.gl/Hsm8YQ

12. Grade 11 Building – http://goo.gl/PyLQlP

The event was covered by the Photographic Society of Royal College, while digit.lk online magazine covered the event being the online media partner of the event.

And so, yet again, Royal College makes her mark on history by being the first Sri Lankan School to successfully carry out a Map – Up project in Collaboration with the Google representatives. Another session to follow the first phase of the project will be organized soon.