Fund to upgrade Cultural Centre Libraries

Norwegian Ambassador Tore Hattrem presented the first installment of a Rs 6 million cheque to Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. This cheque of Rs 3 million is part of the second phase of a grant by the Norwegian Government to purchase books for upgrading the libraries of cultural centres islandwide.

The presentation supports the Sri Lanka Government's declaration of September 2008 as being the State Cultural Month. Rs.11.1 million was donated by the Norwegian Government in 2006, also to purchase library books in Sinhala, Tamil and English for the cultural centres, which were well received by the readership of the Centres that today has grown to over 50,000 people islandwide.

There are 143 Centres around the country including the North and East, every Centre being equipped with a library for public use. The libraries are especially popular among housewives, schoolchildren and young school dropouts.

The Norwegian Government grant aims to enrich the reading contents of these libraries. The range of books purchased from grant monies covers literature, science and technology, religion, culture and translations. The grant will also facilitate the purchase of several motor tricycles for a mobile library service that will make the books available to remote areas with no access to libraries.

Many underprivileged communities have financial constraints that prevent them from buying books and other educational material and several rural and underprivileged areas lack good library facilities. Norwegian Ambassador Tore Hattrem, stated, "Economic growth cannot take place without knowledge, and books hold the key. Knowledge investment is the most important endowment that a Government can make on its people and Norway is very pleased to support the Sri Lankan Government in this initiative. We trust that our co-operation will enable the people of rural Sri Lanka explore, learn and evolve into contributing citizens in a dynamic economy".

The Norwegian Government contributes Rs. 5,160 million in development assistance to Sri Lanka annually, in a variety of assistance programmes for the poor and needy.