President in London

President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in London yesterday. He is due to address the Oxford Union for a second time on December 2, 2010. In 2008, President Rajapaksa addressed the Oxford Union at the invitation of the Oxford Union and the Sri Lanka Society of Oxford University. The topic of his address was “Strategy towards Empowering the Rural Economy of Sri Lanka.”

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

President Rajapaksa was the first Head of State of Sri Lanka and the first Sri Lankan statesman who has not previously a member or held office in the Oxford Union to address it as a guest speaker.

Sri Lanka’s renowned politicians and statesmen such as former Prime Minister S W R D Bandaranaike, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, late Minister Lalith Athulathmudali and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, have previously addressed the Oxford Union.

Late Minister Lalith Athulathmudali was the first Sri Lankan to be elected as the President of the Oxford Union in 1958.

Former Prime Minister S W R D Bandaranaike was the Secretary of the Oxford Union in 1923 and former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was also elected to serve as President of the Oxford Union in 1959.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga too was among the distinguished Sri Lankans who addressed the Oxford Union.