The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Netherlands celebrated the 77th Independence Day of Sri Lanka with the participation of the Sri Lankan community living in the Netherlands, Dutch government officials and other well-wishers.
The ceremony commenced with the hoisting of the national flag by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in the Netherlands, Rekha Gunasekera, to the sound of traditional magul bera. The proceedings of the event included the singing of the National Anthem of Sri Lanka, a two-minute silence to honour national heroes, and the lighting of the traditional oil lamp. Religious dignitaries representing the four main religions in the country invoked blessings on the country and the people.
The Independence Day messages of the President, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka were read out at the ceremony in Sinhala, Tamil and English, while copies of the messages were made available in all three languages for the attendees.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Gunasekera highlighted the policy initiatives and priorities of the new government. She stated that the government is committed to building a unified Sri Lankan nation that respects diversity and is focused on ensuring economic stability and reaffirming trust with the relevant economic stakeholders. Ambassador Gunasekera also referred to the new national programme "Clean Sri Lanka", and stated that the Government has invited the Sri Lanka diaspora to be partners and contribute to this initiative.
Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Dewi-van de Weerd also delivered a speech at the event, sharing insights into the cultural cooperation between the two countries. The Head of the Asia & Oceania Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Dominique Kuhling and other senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands also attended the event.
Traditional dances were performed by Sri Lankan children living in the Netherlands, and the ceremony concluded with a traditional Sri Lankan lunch.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
The Hague
11 February 2025
