Who we are The Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka was established in 1974, with several professional bodies mooting the idea of a joint professional body, to cater to the country’s growing need of professional opinion. The process was carried forward under the aegis of the Commonwealth Foundation based in UK which is an intergovernmental Organisation established by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1965,in order to have a joint voice in areas of economics, politics and policy. To ensure a broader participation OPA started the annual sessions, of which the first one was held in 1988. Since then OPA had originated 25 annual sessions under various themes and policy papers which were are also submitted to the government for the inclusion in the national budget. Over the years the OPA has grown into a powerful Civil Society body consisting of an impressive list of member associations, currently standing at 44, with a total membership of approximately 50,000 professionals in various fields, whose out reach could extensive in numbers. The member organisations include and are spread across a vast number of sectors, ranging from medical to legal, engineering to marketing, management and the various other professional institutions. The OPA holds regular seminars and lectures for members and the public, creating awareness on good governance and for the development of the country. The committees, on the other hand, work on various areas covering national issues. Thus, the OPA today stands as a very important institution which binds together various professionals from a range of sectors.