Social equity strengthens unity - Vasudeva

Disna Mudalige

Creating social equity for all communities is important to build unity and brotherhood among people, National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said.

Addressing a symposium for “Numerically-Small Ethnic and Cultural Groups” at the Folk Art Theatre yesterday, to mark World Cultural Diversity Day, the minister said unity among all cultural groups is necessary to achieve development goals.

He said cultural diversity makes a country more beautiful, adding that Sri Lanka is a good example of multiculturalism in which migrated groups from various parts of the world such as Arab, India, Africa, Polond and European Countries have built up their own cultural communities. He said building one Sri Lanka while retaining the unique characteristics of different cultural communities is the aim of the ministry.

GIZ FLICT Country Director Dr Wilfried Liehr said building mutual understanding and respect among different cultural communities is needed to promote multiculturalism.

He observed that equal rights to under privileged people in society must be ensured, adding that the government should play a key role in strengthening unity among various ethnic and religious groups.

Ministry Secretary Hemachandra Hewage also spoke.

Representatives from all communities participated in the symposium.

It was also revealed that about 22 different cultural communities live in Sri Lanka. Ministry officials and Heads of Institutions affiliated to the ministry also participated.