The 66th Independence Day of Sri Lanka was celebrated by the Sri Lankan community on Saturday, February 08th, 2014 at Forest Hills High School, Queens, New York. The event was attended by over 1000 Sri Lankans and expatriates of different ethnic, religious, political, and social groups living in the Tri-State area.
The event commenced at 4.00 p.m. with the hoisting of the National flag by His Excellency Dr Palitha Kohona, the Ambassador & Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations along with Major General Shavendra Silva, Ambassador & Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, followed by the gathering singing the National Anthem of Sri Lanka. A two minute silence was observed in honor of those who sacrificed their lives in the war to preserve the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka. The traditional oil lamp was lit by the Permanent Representative, the Deputy Permanent Representative and the children of the Tri-State area representing different ethnic and religious groups followed by religious observances by Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, and Islamic priests.
The welcome address was delivered by Dr. Kohona who highlighted the importance of enhancing people-to-people contacts between Sri Lankans and Americans and the need to participate in community activities with other Americans. He also made reference to the Convention on National Unity to be held at the BMICH, Colombo in March 2014. The address of Ambassador Kohona was followed by a screening of the statement made by H. E. the President at the 66th National Independence Day Celebration in Kegalle.
At the end of the official ceremony, more than 200 children of the Sri Lankan expatriate community participated in a cultural show lasting more than 2 hours with 12 performances. This segment showcased the rich cultural diversity of Sri Lanka. Another attraction of the cultural event was the musical performance by the Sri Lankan Music Group “Araliya”.
The event concluded with a delicious Sri Lankan buffet dinner provided by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York for all attendees.
