The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Netherlands celebrated Christmas, honouring the birth of Jesus Christ and embracing the values of Christmas that transcend boundaries—kindness, love, and togetherness. The event was held at the Embassy premises with the participation of a cross-section of the Sri Lankan community living in the Netherlands.
The celebration commenced with prayers and a sermon conducted by Reverend. Fr. Ranil Camillus from Lady of Kessel in the Diocese of Roermond in the Netherlands, invoking blessings on Sri Lanka, the Embassy, and the Sri Lankan community living in the Netherlands.
The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Netherlands, Rekha Gunasekera, while welcoming the Sri Lankan community to the Embassy, highlighted the significance of celebrating Christmas. She also pointed out the efforts undertaken by the Embassy to celebrate diverse religious events at the Embassy, thereby promoting unity in diversity through cultural diplomacy.
The Ambassador also read out the Christmas Day message of the President of Sri Lanka, who called for a transformative social revival to build a just, compassionate, and equitable society.
The celebrations included a dance performance and melodious Christmas carols sung in Sinhala, Tamil, English, and Dutch, by the Sri Lankan community.
The Embassy premises were adorned with traditional Christmas decorations, and the event concluded with a Sri Lankan dinner.
The event marked a joyous occasion for all those attended, and the efforts of the Embassy staff to arrange Christmas celebrations were appreciated.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
The Hague
01 January 2025
