The Edirimana Corea Family Union (ECFU) is a family association open to persons in whom Corea blood runs, and their spouses.
The ECFU has several traditional activities, such as regular get-togethers for the entire family (the biggest generally coinciding with the Annual General Meeting) and trips to places of historic significance and relevance to the family.
The association was the brainchild of its Founder President, the late Henri Corea. He realized that with modernization and globalization, the family was getting scattered further afield within Sri Lanka and abroad and fast losing touch with one another. The younger generations hardly knew many of their cousins and relatives, resulting in a weakening of traditionally strong family ties. The Constitution of the ECFU lists among its objectives, the fostering of fellowship to promote a sense of mutual respect among members, to provide relief at times of distress, to assist in the education of children when required and to promote the welfare of the membership. The association has amongst its objectives, felicitation of the highest values of culture, decorum, ethic, integrity, true public and social service.
The study of the family roots, compilation and documenting of the branches of the family by the late Henri Corea served to unite the members - most of whom no longer lived in Chilaw, evoking an interest in links to one another and an awareness of the need to preserve information and documents pertaining to the family. This was appreciated greatly by those family members living abroad, with the view that history is to be preserved for posterity for present and future generations to learn from and be inspired by, rather than to place it on a pedestal to be unduly revered.
Family trips and picnics to Chilaw were organized as far back as the mid-1960’s, to re-kindle interest in those departed members who had played a significant role in the history of the country. Retiring from the Police Department, Henri Corea began the painstaking work of compiling the `Family Tree’ which was documented by his daughter Aruni, and is now displayed on this web-site.
These informal excursions and meetings resulted in the founding of the 'Edirimana Corea Family Union' (ECFU). The first meeting was held on the 16th of March 1982, and present were Chas. A. Ernest Corea, Kumar Corea, Sri Sangabo Corea, Vimala Corea, Shanti Perera and Henri Corea. The Executive Committee appointed on that day, comprised:
Chas. A. E. Corea was tasked with drawing up the 'Constitution'. The flags of Kotte and Sitawaka were to be incorporated as the official emblems of the ECFU in recognition of the family’s links to the two former Kingdoms. The Constitution of the ECFU lists among its objectives, the fostering of fellowship to promote a sense of mutual respect among members, to provide relief at times of distress, to assist in the education of children when required and to promote the welfare of the membership.
The study of the family’s roots, the compilation and documenting of the branches of the family served to unite its members. The project also evoked an interest in links to one another and an awareness of the need to preserve information and documents pertaining to the family. With the view that history is to be preserved for posterity, for present and future generations, to learn from and be inspired by, rather than to be placed on a pedestal to be unduly revered. These measures were appreciated greatly by all, especially those family members living abroad.
