Happy and prosperous new year

National Heritage Minister Dr Jagath Balasuriya in his New Year message states: “It is with great pleasure that I wish Sri Lankans here as well as those living overseas ‘a prosperous new year’. The new year festival with its rites and rituals observed have come to stay as the only cultural festival of the national level venerated by both Sinhalese and Tamil communities.

“The summum bonum of New Year rites is the development of solidarity, inter-dependence and peace. The social communication and the cultural core of the new year rites of yore was the result of the social life pattern that existed in the relevant society.

“It became an essential part of life as well as a streak of wisdom that continued from generation to generation. Therefore, it should be considered a priority that should be protected and pass on as a national heritage.

“Although its objective has undergone certain changes in keeping with current Sri Lankan social attitudes, it is clear that this proud cultural festival still continues preserved in every village and town in Sri Lanka. It should be the paramount interest of all of us Sri Lankans to utilize with firm determination the national solidarity, pleasure, happiness and the mutual understanding built as a result, to achieve future development of the Sri Lankan nation. I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. May it herald in a new Sri Lanka, new citizens and a new culture.”