The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Cuba celebrated the 76th anniversary of the Independence Day of Sri Lanka at the Embassy premises and the Hotel Nacional in Havana on 04 and 05 February 2024 respectively.
On the Independence Day, the National Flag was hoisted by the Ambassador – Designate of Sri Lanka to Cuba Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne (Retd) at the presence of the Embassy staff. A Diplomatic reception was held at the Hotel Nacional, Havana on the 05 February with the participation of Minister – President of the Central Bank of Cuba Juana Lilia Delgado Portal, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Anayansi Rodriguez Camejo, and President of the Cuban Parliamentary Group of Friendship Association Raydel Montesino Perurena. Ambassadors of friendly countries, high ranking officials of the Cuban government, and university students were among the other invitees.
The official ceremony commenced with the singing of the National Anthem of the Republic of Cuba followed by the national anthem of Sri Lanka. A two-minutes of silence was observed to honor all Sri Lankans who sacrificed their lives for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
Ambassador – Designate, Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne (Retd) addressed the august gathering recalling the historical bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Cuba, particularly supporting each other in multilateral forums. He also reiterated the necessity of further strengthening the relationship to reap the maximum mutual benefits considering the existing excellent political relationship between the two countries. The Ambassador - Designate praised President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s able leadership for navigating country’s economy in order to overcome critical issues.
Two videos were screened during the reception showcasing a dancing performance by young Sri Lankan dancers and promoting Sri Lanka as a holiday destination.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Havana
13 February 2024
