President in landmark visit to California

Pramod de SILVA in Los Angeles

US: President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s official visit to California, the first to the region by a Sri Lankan Head of State, will mark a new chapter in Lanka-US relations.

President Rajapaksa, who arrived in the sprawling city of Los Angeles on Thursday, will participate in a series of meetings with key Los Angeles figures. The President’s visit is also significant from the perspective of the Lankan community of over 100,000.

The visit is being coordinated by Consul General of Sri Lanka Jaliya Wickramasuriya and his staff with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC.

It began with a visit to the Lankaramaya temple where he participated in religious observances and received the blessings of the Maha Sangha on Thursday evening.

Yesterday, he attended a welcome ceremony organised by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Governing body of the county of Los Angeles. He held talks with its Acting Chairman Yvonne Burke.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa also accorded a Civic Reception to the visiting President at the City Hall. They held extensive talks on a number of issues, including the possibility of ‘twinning’ Los Angeles with another city in Sri Lanka. The President also invited the Mayor to visit Sri Lanka.

Later, he participated in a meeting hosted by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. Los Angeles Sheriff Leroy Baca called on the President at his hotel. Later in the evening, he attended a welcome ceremony organised by the Consul General and staff of the Sri Lanka Consulate at the Carpenter Performing Art Centre Auditorium at Long Beach.

Religious leaders, Lankan community leaders in California, Lankan students studying in the US and academics participated. Today, the President will participate in religious observances at the Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara in Los Angeles before his departure to Sri Lanka in the afternoon.