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Wednesday, 8 February 2012 |
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Sri Lanka’s 64th Independence Day celebration was held at the University of the District of Columbia on February 4, an event that featured traditional Sri Lanka dances and speeches and appearances by diplomats and US government officials. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake and a number of diplomatic dignitaries took part in the celebration, which highlighted the economic and social progress that Sri Lanka has achieved since its conflict against terrorism end in May 2009. The President, Parliament and the government have begun a range of programmes to help heal the wounds of the conflict, return those who fought in it to civil society, and reconcile the differences the conflict has left, ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya told the audience at the University of the District of Columbia auditorium. In his welcoming remarks, ambassador Wickramasuriya recognized the strong relations between the US and Sri Lanka, as well as the positive results of the re-development policies of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans know that the best solutions will be home-grown, the ambassador said. “We know our country, we know our people and we know the expectations of our people. We know what works, and, because we are a democracy, we know that the solutions we seek will be adopted by a representative government.” The ambassador called upon Sri Lankan-Americans to tell the correct story of Sri Lanka’s progress and for Sri Lankan youths to remember their roots.
“There is strong evidence that this plan is working. Life in the North is improving. Sri Lanka’s economy is strong and post-conflict development policies continue. Sri Lanka’s democracy remains free and fair,” he said. “We now have lasting peace and no deaths due to terrorism. Therefore, we are confident that our nation will remain prosperous and friendly for years to come.” Ambassador Blake said that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) had laid the groundwork for continued reconciliation following Sri Lanka's conflict with the LTTE. The LLRC offers a very promising way forward to help Sri Lanka become again the island of peace and prosperity, Blake said. The US will support reaching those goals, he said. The programme highlighted performances by the dance troupe, Channa Upuli Performing Arts Foundation, as well as the talents of local dancers from the Washington, DC area. Anjalika Silva, a Washington area Sri Lankan soprano, sang the US national anthem, while a group of Sri Lankan-American children sang the Sri Lankan anthem. Support President’s vision - HCSri Lanka’s 64th Independence Day was celebrated in New Delhi on February 4 at the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi. The day long celebrations commenced with High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam, joined by High Commission staff, offering alms (the morning meal) to Buddhist priests representing Sri Lankan Buddhist temples in India including the recently established Jambudvipa-Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple in Sarnath.
The offering of alms was followed by the flag hoisting ceremony with the participation of the Sri Lankan expatriate community. The ceremony included the reading of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s message. Addressing the Sri Lankan community, Kariyawasam stressed the important role that the Sri Lankan community must play in supporting the President’s vision in consolidating the hard won peace in the country. Highlighting the exchange of high-level visits between Sri Lanka and India in the recent past, the high commissioner apprised the gathering of the successful implementation of programmes and projects that had been agreed during the President’s state visit to India in June 2010, including the construction of 50,000 houses, the Sampur Power Plant, the Kankesanthurai Harbour and railway lines in the north and south. India’s Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Jairam Ramesh represented the Indian government at a reception hosted by the high commissioner at his residence in the evening. The reception, attended by over 800 guests, included Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, members of the Indian Parliament, diplomats, senior government officials, and media personnel. The Sri Lankan and Indian national anthems were sung on the occasion by Sri Lankan students of music at the Benaras Hindu University. Follow middle path says envoyThe Sri Lankan embassy in Paris celebrated Sri Lanka’s 64th anniversary of independence at the embassy with the participation of staff, their families and the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Paris on February 4.
This included a multi-religious ceremony with the participation of the clergy of all four religions practiced in Sri Lanka. Following the religious ceremony, the ambassador and staff of the mission lit the traditional oil lamp and hoisted the Sri Lankan flag. Two minutes silence was observed to commemorate War Heroes and war victims, following which the national anthem was sung. The Independence Day messages of the President, the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister were read in all three languages followed by a speech by Ambassador Dr Dayan Jayatilleka. The ambassador recalled that almost half of the 64 years of independence had been marred by armed conflict and war. He said this cycle of conflict has to be broken if the country is to fulfill the tremendous promise it showed at the moment of independence in 1948. Dr Jayatilleka said that to break the cycle, rulers and citizens alike should follow the middle path, eschewing all extremes, and ensure that the goal of all policy should be the watchword of the Buddha, who declared “May all living being be happy”. Dr Jayatilleka said that a great example of such a postwar paradigm shift is King Ashokha, who after many years of war, found inspiration for his practice in the words of the Buddha and was therefore renowned as Dharmashoka. The event was followed by a reception at UNESCO for ambassadors, diplomats, heads of institutions, representatives of the corporate sector as well as scholars and members of the clergy.
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