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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 H.E.
the High Commissioner Justice 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
H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri
Lanka on a large screen. It was followed
by the speech of H.E. 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 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.
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Reverend
Sirs
Ladies and Gentlemen
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.
Thank you
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