Parallel to the 65th National Independence Day Celebration in Sri Lanka, Independence Day was ceremoniously celebrated on the 4th of February at the official residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Berlin, Germany. Sri Lankan Ambassador Sarath Kongagage chaired the celebration. Sri Lankans from all communities, representatives of Sri Lankan organizations based in Germany and the Embassy staff participated at the occasion.
The Independence Day began with the hoisting of the national flag with the guests singing the National Anthem. The ceremony was blessed by the Buddhist monks Rev. Kongaspitiye Santha Rakkhitha Thero, Rev. Seela Sumana Thero and Rev. Rambukwelle Devananda Thero, Hindu Priest Sri Veerakathiar, Muslim Imam Mohamed Irshard and Christian Priest P. Dietmar Lenfers. National Day Messages by H.E the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Hon. Prime Minister D.M. Jayarathne and Hon. G.L. Peiris, Ministry of External Affairs, were presented in Sinhala and Tamil languages.
H.E. Ambassador Kongahage addressing the ceremony noted that the defeat of the inhuman terrorism was only possible due to the determined leadership of H.E. the President Mahinda Rajapaksa with the assistance of the dedicated and committed forces in Sri Lanka and thanked all those who sacrificed their lives to bring peace to all communities. The Ambassador further stated that Germany and Sri Lanka were celebrating the 60th anniversary of the commencement of diplomatic relations in 2013. In order to celebrate this, a series of events would be arranged throughout the year to enhance the political, economic and people-to-people relations between the two countries.
Pro-LTTE element had called for Tamil people living in Germany for a demonstration in front of the Embassy with the aim of sabotaging the Independence Day Celebration. However, the Tamil community in Germany totally neglected the vast propaganda made on pro-LTTE websites, and only five persons participated in their demonstration. While rejecting the pro-LTTE invitation, many Tamils living in Germany enthusiastically participated at the Independence Day Ceremony of the Embassy, clearly indicating the ethnic harmony prevailing among all Sri Lankan communities living in Germany.
The celebration ended up successfully after a buffet with delicious Sri Lankan foods.
