The Passing Out Parade and Award Ceremony of the All Island Oriental Cadet Band Championship Camp of the National Cadet Corps- 2023 which commenced on 29 September 2023 with the participation of 40 boy and 18 girl Oriental Band Cadet Platoons, was held on 05 October 2023.Brig Sudantha Fonseka USP psc, Director, National Cadet Corps graced this grand annual parade as the Chief Guest.After the award presentation to winners, addressing the Parade, standing with the pride of the Corps Colour Squad, the Chief Guest thanked the Officers, Principals, teachers and parents who are the proud owners and also helped groom these young cadets who take wings to be future leaders of our nation, for their dedication and commitment and all pain staking work they’ve done. He explained the way forward plan of the National Cadet Corps which has been drawn with the aim of improving the standards and the quality of National Cadet Corps by a number of steps taken for the betterment of the Corps, such as commencing a second Training Centre at Mullaitivu, enlisting 1000 Principals in this year as NCC Officers, developing infrastructure facilities in NCC Training Centre, Rantembe, amending the cadet syllabus and changing the cadet uniform and also about the future events like selection of National Youth Hero annually and conducting leadership training courses for School Prefects, sports teams and government and non- governmental organizations. He emphasized about strengthening the ties among SAARC counterparts giving more chances for cadets to mingle with overseas cadets to gain international exposure. The Director was much optimistic of future opportunities that would be offered to cadets to follow courses at reputed institutes like technical colleges under the patronage of Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Education. Director NCC thanked Honourable President, Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor, State Minister of Defence and Secretary Defence for the guidance and assistance giving to uplift the National Cadet Corps and also the Minister of Education, all senior officers at MOE and Directors of Education who help NCC by directing and motivating Principals, teachers and cadets to under go cadet training with the aim of becoming true leaders to nation.These future leaders who have been inculcated good values, discipline, and good physique by the National Cadet Corps through cadeting activities which is regarded as a life skills and leadership development programme implemented in schools under the guidance of Ministry of Defence and the coordination of Ministry of Education, will be sent back to their schools with the given aim of leading other students as prefects and cadets of those colleges and there by to groom as leaders of the nation and disciplined citizens in the future.For the year 2023, Boys Oriental Band Cadet Runner up Trophy was won by St. Silvester’s College, Kandy, 2nd Battalion and the WB Makuloluwa Challenge Trophy for the Boys’ Championship was won by Bandaranayake College, Gampaha, 7th Battalion.Girls’ Oriental Cadet Band Runner up Trophy was won by Maliyadeva Girls’ College, Kurunegala, 4th Battalion and the Sarojini Thewanayagam Challenge Trophy for Girls’ Championship was won by Rathnawali Girls’ College, Gampaha, 7th Battalion.PERSONAL PERFORMANCES – 2023Best Runner-(Confidence Building Test)Boys- Cdt Akalanka KAD, St. Silvester’s College, Kandy 2nd Battalion.Girls-Cdt Wijesingha WADCV, Vidyakara Girls College, Maharagama,19th Battalion.Best Shooter.Boys- Cdt Perera SAOC, CMS Sri Jayawaradanepura Kotte, 19th Battalion.Girls-Cpl Williamge JWSC, High School, Kandy, 2nd Battalion.Best Drum MajorBoys- Sgt Promod RG, Sri Sangabodhi College, Nittambuwa, 7th Battalion.Girls – Sgt Kapilaratne UGKN, Heramitigala Deerananda Vidyalaya, Pilimatalawa, 2nd Battalion.Best Commander-Physical ExercisesBoys- Sgt Kahandugoda KMMG, Dharmaraja College, Kandy, 2nd Battalion.Girls-Sgt Kapilaratne UGKN, Heramitigala Deerananda Vidyalaya Pilimatalawa, 2nd BattalionBest Commander-DrillBoys- Capt NP Ranasinghe, Ananda College Colombo, 3rd Battalion.Girls- Sgt Jayasooriya OANTV, Rathnawali Girls’ College, Gampaha