PORT CITY COLOMBO CHAMPIONS THE ICREMV 2025 PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP 01 AS STRATEGIC PARTNER

Port City Colombo was pleased to host the first Pre-Conference Workshop of the seminal International Conference on Real Estate Management and Valuation (ICREMV) 2025, at the Sales Gallery. The event was organised by the Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in collaboration with CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, which acted as the Workshop’s strategic partner. 

Titled ‘Valuation Reforms for the Local Government Property Rating in Sri Lanka,’ this Pre-Conference Workshop spearheaded insightful discourse regarding strategic reforms in property valuation that could enhance both administrative performance and fiscal outcomes. The event featured delegates from the Government Valuation Department, the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, local government administration, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), and advisory firms, in attendance. The Pre-Conference Workshop 01 was also the first in the series of workshops planned in the run-up to the ICREMV 2025 conference slated to take place on 24^th October 2025, at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams. 

The workshop served as a platform for evidence-based dialogue, policy innovation, and capacity building in the area of rating valuation, against the backdrop of Port City Colombo -- the master-planned city development that is steadily shaping Sri Lanka’s academic landscape surrounding urban planning and real estate. Prof. Prathap Kaluthanthri, Head of the Department of Estate Management and Valuation, welcomed the gathering, while Prof. Dushan Jayawickrama, Dean of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, also addressed the audience. Senior Prof. Padma Weerakoon and Prof. Nishani Wickramaarachchi, Co-Chairs of the ICREMV 2025, presented the objectives and projected outcomes of the ICREMV Preliminary Workshop. Prof. Upuli Perera co-moderated the workshop alongside Prof. Prathap Kaluthanthri, while Senior Prof. R.G. Ariyawansa and Prof. J. Edirisinghe presented the outcomes of the workshop. 

Shalaka Wijeyaratne, Executive Director -- Investment Promotion & Marketing, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, further presented an exclusive knowledge-sharing showcase, which elaborated on the dynamics of the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone, the project’s community engagements, and progress achieved to date, whilst positioning Port City Colombo as an emerging hub for corporate relations and trends in sustainable urban development.

‘Port City Colombo stands as a transformative milestone in Sri Lanka’s real estate journey, redefining the possibilities of urban development and investment. We extend our sincere appreciation to Port City Colombo for joining hands with us as a strategic partner of ICREMV 2025 and supporting this important initiative. Through this workshop, by bringing together government, academia, and industry, we are creating a platform to rethink local government rating practices and to shape a more sustainable and globally competitive rating valuation system for the country,’ said Prof. Prathap Kaluthanthri, Head of the Department, Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

As part of Port City Colombo’s ongoing partnership with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, this initiative embodied Port City Colombo’s aim to consistently engage with local academia to provide insights into the economic and urban development potential of Sri Lanka’s first multi-service Special Economic Zone.

To learn more about the investment opportunities at Port City Colombo, please visit www.portcitycolombo.lk. For information on Single Window Investment Facilitation and regulatory matters, please visit www.portcitycolombo.gov.lk. 

ABOUT PORT CITY COLOMBO

Poised to redefine Sri Lanka’s economic and societal landscape, Port City Colombo is a visionary multi-billion dollar FDI-funded project located at the very heart of the South Asian region — the vibrant, thriving metropolis of Colombo in Sri Lanka. Positioned as the gateway to South Asia, it offers a unique combination of global investment opportunities, international business environments, world-class infrastructure, and sustainable yet cosmopolitan living. As a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Port City Colombo will feature a business-friendly environment including tax incentives, exemptions, and preferential corporate tax rates for Businesses of Strategic Importance (BSI’s), and transactions in foreign currencies, with no capital or exchange controls, and up to 100 percent foreign ownership. With upcoming developments projected to break ground in 2025, Port City Colombo aims to emulate the successful economic models of Dubai or Singapore, whilst reinforcing the broader commitment to sustainability and liveability.