Youth New Year festival:
National reconciliation through sports
Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas
Alahapperuma with the two teams.
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A Youth New Year Festival organized by the NYSC under the directions
of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry, was held at the Hindu
College grounds in Jaffna on April 26, with the participation of a large
number of youths.
The main objective of the festival was to make use of the traditional
games and New Year customs to promote national reconciliation.
A highlight was an exhibition Cricket match between a team led by
Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and
the Jaffna Federation of Youth Club's team.Minister Dullas Alahapperuma
addressing the gathering, said the main objective of the festival was to
offer honour and dignity owed to Sri Lankan youth and build communal
amity. He said the Sinhalese and Tamils have been identified as the most
reconcilable people in the world.
Language, religion and the geographical background had largely
contributed to this quality.
He said national unity had been undermined due to certain wrong
political decisions taken in the past by certain politicians in the
North and South. |