National Languages Minister assures:

Trilingual society by 2020

Disna Mudalige

Measures are taken to build a trilingual society by 2020, where all communities are capable of communicating in Sinhala, Tamil and English, said National Languages and Social Integration Minister S B Navinne.

He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of ‘Reflections 2010: Managing Diversity, Reconciliation and Development,’ held at the Galle Face hotel last Sunday. He said that the language is a key factor for social capital which is vital to promote reconciliation. He noted that a national policy based on the recommendations of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission is being prepared for social integration.

“Diversity is the name of our society. It is impossible to live without it, and we must be taught to understand its beauty and importance. Then only we will be able to amalgamate with the opposite creating a multi coloured society” he observed.

The Minister said that it is unfortunate that developing countries are allocating huge amount of funds for wars and security when they have enough social issues packed up such as education, health and environment problems.

Addressing the gathering German Ambassador Uwe Jens Plotner pointed out that Sri Lanka is now beginning to shift focus from immediate relief to reconciliation and development, since immediate aftermaths of war are coming to an end after more than one and half years of its conclusion.

He said that their work aims the social structure of the island as a whole, and that they are highly concerned whether the projects are sustainable to Sri Lankan hands. He expressed that their projects are carried on highlighting the North and the East populations who are the most vulnerable segment of the society at the moment.

European Union Delegation Head H E Bernard Savage noted that they are ready to give technical and financial support for reconciliation and policy formation when it is needed and welcome.

He commended that Sri Lanka has entered a new chapter and the portfolios of the Ministry are redefined as social integration considering the current situation in the country.