Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya held discussions with Ms. Sarasi Jayaratne, the Founder and President of ‘Keep Reading Foundation’ in Washington DC on Monday 13 October 2008.

Ms. Jayaratne presented to the Ambassador, the “100 Mini Libraries” project to be implemented in rural Sri Lanka in 2009.

Ms. Jayaratne explained to Ambassador Wickramasuriya that the goal of the program is to connect children from different ethnic groups in the country with each other to live in peace and harmony. The approach will include increased literacy in their respective native languages, as well as English as a second language.

Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Enterprise development and Investment Promotion,
Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya with Ms. Sarasi Jayaratne

On behalf of the Keep Reading Foundation, Ms. Jayaratne presented a number of areas in which the Sri Lankan Government’s assistance will be required in order to launch the program to Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Enterprise development and Investment Promotion, who was in Washington DC for the annual World Bank / IMF sessions. Minister Amunugama assured Ms. Jayaratne that the project will be afforded the Sri Lankan Government’s utmost attention, and all possible assistance will be provided.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya conveyed the Government’s sincere appreciation for the initiative taken by Ms. Jayaratne in this benevolent project, and encouraged more young Sri Lankans living abroad to initiate such projects that benefit the Sri Lankan rural communities.

More information on the Keep Reading Foundation can be found on their website at www.keepreading.org.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington DC
USA

23 October 2008