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The
Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist
Centre celebrated this year’s 62nd
Independence Anniversary on 4th
February with added importance - with a
photographic exhibition from 10:00am to
9:00pm depicting highlights of Sri
Lanka’s history since Independence; at
6:30pm screening of a 25 minute film on
Sri Lanka since Independence, including
excerpts of HE President Mahinda
Rajapakse’s Independence day address in
Kandy in the morning; and a Buddha puja
at 7:45pm. At the Pujava, Venerable
Galayaye Piyadassi Sangha Nayaka Thero
stated that from the time of Prince
Vijaya the country had to face foreign
incursions and occupation of various
parts of the country but our brave kings
got rid of such calamities. In the same
way after 30 years of strife our
President made it possible from 18th
May 2009 for our National Flag to be
flown throughout the length and breadth
of our country, from Jaffna to
Hambantota, from Colombo to Batticaloa
and preserve our sovereignty. On the
anniversary of our Independence he
conveyed Blessings to President Mahinda
Rajapakse, the Government and the people
of Sri Lanka for Peace and Prosperity
and Happiness. Later the pan vaduma
transferred merits to our departed
leaders and the brave servicemen and
women and other patriots.
The
exhibition was well attended and was
extended until Friday evening due to the
interest shown the photographs included
Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake meeting
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth; The
Independence Celebrations in 1948 at
Independence square with the Duke and
Duchess Gloucester; the Commonwealth
Conference to establish the Colombo Plan
for Technical Cooperation in Colombo in
1950; Finance Minister J. R. Jayewardena
addressing Japanese Peace treaty
Conference in San Francisco in September
1951; Commonwealth Heads of Governments
meetings with all Sri Lankan Prime
Ministers / Presidents; Prime Minister
Jawarhalal Nehru’s visit to Sri Lanka in
1962; 6th Non Aligned
countries Summit in Colombo to bring
about a ceasefire in the Sino-Indian
border conflict in 1962; His Holiness
Pope Paul VI Visit to Colombo in 1970;
The first Cabinet of Ministers in the
Republic of Sri Lanka, 22nd
May 1972; photograph of the 1976 Non
Aligned Summit participants with their
Autographs; HM The Queen’s visit to Sri
Lanka in 1954 and 1981; Prime Minister
Premadasa and the Queen at the Sri Lanka
exhibition at the Commonwealth Institute
in London in 1981 to commemorate 50
years of Adult Universal Franchise; Mrs.
Margaret Thatcher’s visit to Sri Lanka
in 1985 to inaugurate the Victoria dam;
President Premadasa’s Gam Udawa or
Village re awakening Scheme and Housing
programme; and President Rajapakse’s
Mahinda Chintanaya and with Heads of
State, etc; Photographs of all Prime
Ministers and Presidents. There was also
a display of Cultural artefacts and
Tourist Pictures and materials; as well
as documents like the Kandyan
Convention, Credentials of Ambassadors
pre Republic and other books and
Documents.
Among those participating were HE Mr P.
M. Amza, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri
Lanka; Mr Cyril Madadeniya, Manager Bank
of Ceylon; Mr Sanjika Perera, Director,
and Mr Nalin Perera, Public Relations
Officer of the Ceylon Tourist Board.
Among the Councillors who visited during
the day were – Councillor Matthew Offord,
Deputy Leader of Barnet, Councillors
Ruth Moher and Kanta Mistry from Brent
and Councillor Nizam Ismail from Harrow.
Well wishers and devotees in large
numbers visited the exhibition on 4th
and 5th February 2010.
The
film made by Tissa Madawela proved of
great educational value to those who had
not seen or heard our great leaders,
past and present. |
