NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN WASHINGTON, DC
REPRESENT ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS HARMONY
Sri Lanka's 56th Anniversary of Independence was celebrated at
the Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington DC on 4th February and 8th
February 2004.
Celebrations held at the Embassy on 4th February
The National Day celebrations at the Embassy of Sri Lanka commenced
with the hoisting of the National flag by Sri Lanka's Ambassador
to the US, H.E. Devinda R. Subasinghe at the Chancery premises
and the singing of the National Anthem. The traditional oil lamp
was lit by the Ambassador, religious dignitaries representing
the four main religions and visiting dignitaries. Buddhist, Hindu,
Muslim and Christian religious ceremonies were then conducted
to invoke blessings on the country and its people. The Ven. Katugastota
Uparathana Thero, Chief Incumbent of the International Buddhist
Center, Wheaton, together with Buddhist clergy representing the
Washington Buddhist Vihara Society Inc., conducted the Anusasana.
Mr. K. Renganathan, Mr. Naseer Azeez and Dr. Greg Fernandopulle
conducted the Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious observances
respectively. Thereafter, Ambassador Subasinghe addressed the
gathering which also included the families of the Embassy staff.
A special feature of this celebration was the presence of a delegation
from Sri Lanka attending the 52nd National Prayer Breakfast in
Washington, DC., including Justice Shiranee Thilakawardana, Judge
of the Supreme Court, Hon. Susil Premajayantha, Member of Parliament,
Mr. Harim Peiris, President's Spokesman, Mrs. Druki Martenstyn,
Chairperson, Association for Families of Servicemen Missing in
Action, Mr. Zarook Marikkar, Chairman GoTelNetwork, Mrs. Neela
Marikkar, Director, Grant Kenyon & Eckhardt Ltd.
Community joins Embassy Celebrations
The Sri Lanka Embassy organized the main event to commemorate
the 56th Anniversary of Independence on 8th February 2004 at the
Amphitheatre of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade
Center in Washington DC. A large gathering of Sri Lankans including
Sri Lankan government officials, representatives of Sri Lanka
organizations in Washington DC and well wishers participated in
this event. Among those present were Mr. Harim Peiris, President's
Spokesman who was attending the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington,
DC., Brigadier Upali Edirisinghe of the Sri Lanka Army and Group
Captain Mohan De Zoysa of the Sri Lanka Air Force who are presently
attending courses at the National Defense University in Washington,
DC.
The event commenced with the playing of the National Anthem and
the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by Ambassador Subasinghe,
the religious dignitaries representing the four main faiths and
representatives of Sri Lanka organizations in Washington, DC.,
Mr. Nihal Goonewardena, President, Sri
Lanka Association of Washington DC and Mr. Dias Amarawardena,
President, Sri
Lanka Ranga Kala Kavaya. The religious ceremony to invoke
blessings on the country and its people commenced with Ven. Katugastota
Uparathana Thero, Chief Incumbent of the International Buddhist
Center, Wheaton observing the Anusasana, followed by the recital
of a Hindu prayer by Shri Subbarathnam Visveswaran of the Siva
Shri Vishnu Temple, Lanham, a recital from the Holy Koran by Imam
Yahya Hendi, Muslim Chaplain of Georgetown University and a sermon
by Dr Greg Fernandopulle. The Independence Day messages of H.E.
the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe,
Prime Minister and the Hon. Tyronne Fernando, Minister of Foreign
Affairs were read by Mr. Saman Udagedara, Minister (Commercial),
Mrs. Hemali Rajapakse, Administrative Officer (Consular) and Ms.
Dhammika Semasinghe, First Secretary (Economic) of the Sri Lanka
Embassy.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Subasinghe highlighted the
progress made in the Sri Lanka-US relationship. He described the
four key objectives outlined in 2003 as part of a Three Year Strategic
Plan of the Embassy, namely, to deepen and broaden US - Sri Lanka
relationships in all its manifestations, to elevate economic cooperation
between the two countries and secure greater US market access
for Sri Lanka and a higher level of US investment in Sri Lanka,
to increase access to the technical expertise and financial resources
of the World Bank and the IMF and to upgrade infrastructure and
ensure that the Embassy becomes more service oriented.
Ambassador Subasinghe highlighted the prime objective of the
Embassy as working to convert prospects into the announcement
of the US intention to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with Sri
Lanka. This would broaden and deepen the Sri Lanka-US trade relationship.
He also referred to the establishment of a Sri Lanka Working Group
at the US Chamber of Commerce in order to foster increased US
investment in Sri Lanka. Ambassador Subasinghe described the Embassy's
work with Sri Lankan expatriate organizations in fund-raising
activities in the US for humanitarian de-mining programs in Sri
Lanka, where efforts are underway to clear over 70,000 landmines.
This initiative has been successful in raising funds to acquire
and train six mine detection dogs to be sent to Sri Lanka in March
2004.
Ambassador Subasinghe also stressed the Embassy's commitment
to provide high quality Consular services that has been increasingly
acknowledged by the community, the revamping of the
Embassy website in order to facilitate online access
to updated Consular information, as well as the establishment
of an ideas line to obtain comments and suggestions on the services
provided. The site also provides updates on Embassy
activities. He also referred to the Embassy's focus on
establishing and strengthening contacts with and mobilizing expatriate
community support in other states and the visits undertaken to
promote this objective.
The address was followed by an open forum for members of the
audience to interact directly with the Ambassador through a question
and answer session. After the formal part of the ceremony, the
celebration continued with a cultural show presented by the Sri
Lanka Youth Dance Troupe of the Ranga Kala Kavaya, traditional
Sinhala and Tamil dances and patriotic songs sung by members of
the community.
Please
click here for the picture gallery
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington DC
USA
20 February 2004
|