International Elders’ Day

Priyanka Kurugala

The Western Provincial Council, Social Services Department has organized an International Elders’ Day, on October 4. Using this experience the Department hopes to hold the Elders’ Day in 2011 in a much improved manner, Western Provincial Council, Social Services Department Director Anusha Gokula Fernando told the Daily News.

“The Western Provincial Council, Social Services Department has planned to express its appreciation to the country’s senior citizens at provincial level.” We have planned to create a method to make use of their traditional knowledge and experience to benefit the present generation. Traditional features such as indigenous medicine, ritual methods are disappearing from society. We hope to make the Elders’ Day a foundation to refocus the public towards these traditions,” he said.

The Western Provincial Elders’ Day, will be held at the Mirigama Seth Sevana Elders’ Home.

Divisional Secretariat of Mirigama and Katana will be the main participants at this event. The organizers expect around 10,000 elderly persons to participate in the event. The Department has organized numerous programs to mark this event. These programs will be held with the collaboration of all Divisional Secretariats in the Western Provincial Council.