The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York hosted a Diplomatic Reception at its chancery premises on 4thFebruary to celebrate Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. The event was attended by around 300 guests, including Heads of Mission and other diplomats from UN member states, the Deputy Secretary-General, representing the Secretary-General, business personalities, bankers, community leaders, philanthropists, media personnel, educators and artists.
Sri Lanka’s 66th Anniversary of the National day was celebrated this morning with an elegant ceremony at the premises of the Embassy amidst a large gathering of Sri Lankans and Israeli well wishers.
The event commenced with the hoisting of the National Flag by His Excellency Sarath Wijesinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Israel which was thereafter followed by the lighting of the traditional Oil lamp and the multi- faith religious observances led by Ven. Karavilakotuwe Dhammathilake Thero, Rev. Sacher Aboud of St. Anthony’s Church and Rabbi Mendi Crombie of the Jewish faith. The Buddhist and Christian Clergy and the Rabbi invoked blessings on H.E. the President and the country.
The 66th Anniversary of the Independence of Sri Lanka was held on Tuesday, 4th February 2014 at the Reiyukai Hall in Tokyo. The event which was organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tokyo was held amidst a large gathering of Sri Lankan expatriates in Japan.
The Independence Day celebrations took place in Tokyo with religious observances made by Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian clergy, the reading of Independence Day messages of His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President, Hon. Dr.D.M. Jayaratne, Prime Minister and Hon. G.L.Peiris, Minister of External Affairs. A special cultural dance performance was performed by a 3-member dance troupe comprising Sri Lankan students in Japan.
High Commission of Sri Lanka in Dhaka celebrated Sri Lanka’s 66th Independence Day on 4th February 2014 with the participation of a large number of Sri Lankans and diplomatic community, prominent political and business leaders in Bangladesh in two separate events at the “Sri Lanka Residence” premises, coinciding with the Independence Day celebrations which were held in Kegalle, Sri Lanka under the patronage of President H.E Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The Ministry of External Affairs wishes to refer to some media reports sourcing a spokesman of the Embassy of the United States in Colombo, regretting that Sri Lanka had refused a visa for Catherine M. Russell, the United States Ambassador –at-large for Global Women’s Issues, to visit the country.
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The Book 'The Valley of Gems' containing a collection of Parliamentary speeches of the late Dr. A. C. S. Hameed, veteran Parliamentarian and the first Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, was ceremonially launched at a ceremony held at the BMICH on Saturday, February 1 at 3.30 p.m.
Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, delivered the keynote address at the ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Peiris noted that it was a privilege to speak on the occasion to commemorate the life and ideas of A.C.S. Hameed who had been the longest serving Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka and had a long public life. The Minister stated that he had great affection and profound respect for the late A.C.S. Hameed and recollected his early interaction with Mr. Hameed, then Minister of Higher Education and he (Prof. Peiris) was Vice Chancellor, where they had worked closely together at a turbulent period in Sri Lanka’s history and under trying circumstances. The Minister then recalled that when he entered politics in 1994, Mr. Hameed was then a distinguished member of the opposition front bench and he being a new politician, would meet at least once a month with Mr. Hameed to discuss issues and he found the late A.C.S. Hameed to be a reservoir of knowledge, on practical affairs straddling a wide range of matters.
