Sri Lanka’s National Day Celeberated in London

The Sri Lanka High Commission in the United Kingdom celebrated the 62nd National Day with the participation of a large number of Sri Lankans living in the UK, at the High Commission premises on 4 February 2010.

The National Flag was hoisted by the High Commissioner Nihal Jayasinghe.

Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala Thero, Chief Incumbent of the London Buddhist Vihara, Rev. Kurukkal Punchatchara, Fr. Edward Perera, Fr. Tony de Alwis and Mr. Ishack Thahir who were present at the celebration offered blessings representing Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islam religions respectively, for a peaceful and prosperous future in Sri Lanka.

The gathering viewed the National Day speech delivered in Kandy, Sri Lanka by Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka on a large screen. It was followed by the speech of the High Commissioner who requested the participants to carry the message to their fellow Sri Lankans in the UK to engage with the Sri Lankan Government to bring about a peaceful development and reconciliation back in the motherland.

He further stated that the High Commission is open for the Sri Lankan Diaspora to come and interact at any time with him and his staff. The full text of his speech is given at the end of this news report.

The gathering was then offered to enjoy a reception of Sri Lankan traditional culinary to mark the dawn of a new era of peace in Sri Lanka.

On the 5th of February the High Commissioner hosted a reception to the Diplomatic Community, Political Leaders and senior Government Officials in the UK, to mark the 62nd National Day of Sri Lanka. A cultural programme depicting the Sri Lankan multi ethnic culture was also presented during the function.

The Full Text of the speech by the High Commissioner Nihal Jayasinghe at the 62nd. National Day Celeberations :

It is a great privilege to address you today at this National Day celebration of new, reunified Sri Lanka after defeating terrorism.

As you know, the just concluded Presidential Election was the first election held throughout the country after 30 years of conflict.

Today, we stand here, as members of a new Sri Lankan nation.

Our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka can now live without fear of suicide bombings, bus bombs or any other threat of terrorism.

People have started to move around freely and enjoy the freedom that has all of a sudden become a reality.

As in 1948 when we first hoisted the national flag in Sri Lanka after centuries of colonial slavery, the hopes are high today, at this sixty second National Day.

However, we should also not forget the sacrifices made and the enormous suffering that all the Sri Lankans have undergone to achieve this peace and unity.

Though we boast that we achieved independence in 1948, without shedding a single drop of blood, I believe that now only we have started the process of Nation Building.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at his election victory, has assured that he will ‘work with utmost vigour on behalf of the people of Sri Lanka, considering himself as the leader of all Sri Lankans’.

Ladies and gentlemen, I sincerely hope that ‘all Sri Lankans’ that he is going to be leader will also get together to help him build our nation.

The prospects and all the signs today indicate that there is a peaceful and prosperous future in front of us.

In this bright and positive backdrop, I wish to invite all of you to positively engage in that process of reconciliation and development which would help building our new Sri Lankan nation.

Also, you could take this message to your fellow Sri Lankans in the UK that it is through engagement with the government of Sri Lanka that full reconciliation and development could be achieved for the betterment of all the Sri Lankans irrespective of their cast and creed.

We at the High Commission here are open to all the Sri Lankans to come and interact with us, in order to contribute to the reconciliation and development process in Sri Lanka.

Ladies and gentlemen, last but not least, let me extend my gratitude to you for being here today.

May I invite you all to enjoy the reception that we have arranged for you, to celebrate the dawn of the new era in Sri Lanka.

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- Asian Tribune -