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China donates school equipment & uniforms to 12,000 schoolchildren (Pics)
A donation of 12,000 school bags full of stationery and other study/daily items as well as 43,000 meters of school uniform fabric was gifted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China to local needy students.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, PM Dinesh Gunawardena and Chinese ambassador – Mr. Qi Zhenhong attended a distribution ceremony this morning at the Hanwella Rajasinghe Central College, to hand over the donation.
Museum on history of Seethawaka
Addressing the event, President Wickremesinghe revealed that he has instructed the Department of Archaeology to explore the archaeological treasures of Seethawaka Kingdom. This effort aims to shed light on the historical significance of the region and pave the way for the construction of a museum dedicated to Seethawaka’s history.
The President had also expressed his dissatisfaction with the current education system and his determination to transform Sri Lanka into a vocational training centre while providing children with an education system that empowers them for the future.
Education, a vital investment
Meanwhile Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena underscored the significance of education as a vital investment in the country’s future. He emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to the educational sector and acknowledged the importance of providing essential school equipment, generously provided by the Chinese government, to students.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the historical role of Rajasingha Central College Hanwella as the first Central College in the Kelani Valley, which has educated numerous students who have gone on to contribute significantly to the nation’s development. He emphasized the collective efforts of various governments that have made substantial contributions to the growth and advancement of Rajasingha Central College, Hanwella.
Chinese support to eradicate “poverty trap” & “trap of non-development”
Speaking at the event, the Chinese ambassador in Colombo – Mr. Qi Zhenhong said that China will firmly support “Sri Lanka in its efforts to achieve sustainable development, get rid of the “poverty trap” and “trap of non-development” and safeguard its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity.”
“At the present, our Sri Lankan brothers and sisters are faced with temporary difficulties of development. We firmly believe that under the strong leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the heroic people of Sri Lanka will surely overcome these difficulties and open up an even brighter future,” the ambassador added.
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SL – Vietnam sign 04 MoUs (Pics)
Four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and one Agreement were signed yesterday (May 05) between Sri Lanka and Vietnam, in the presence of President Anura Kumara Disanayake and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Luong Cuong.
Among the agreements signed was a bilateral pact on enhancing cooperation and mutual support in customs affairs between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Additionally, an MoU between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of Sri Lanka on cooperation in machinery and equipment manufacturing, an MoU between the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Department of Agriculture of Sri Lanka on cooperation in agriculture, an MoU between the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI) of Sri Lanka and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and an MoU between the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board on trade promotion cooperation.
These agreements aim to facilitate knowledge sharing and the exchange of diplomats, experts, officials, scholars and researchers, while also encouraging the organization and participation in academic and research programmes, training initiatives and conferences related to diplomacy.
They also provide a platform for a broad range of trade promotion activities, including the exchange of trade and market intelligence, joint participation in trade fairs and exhibitions in both countries, and the organization of business networking events for private sector representatives.
It is expected that this enhanced cooperation will unlock significant market opportunities for both countries, particularly in the sectors of value-added agriculture, fisheries, apparel and Processed food.
The signing took place following bilateral discussions held at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi earlier in the morning.
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President pays homage at Bai Dinh Pagoda (Pics)
As part of the on-going state visit to Vietnam, President Anura Kumara Disanayake visited the Bai Dinh Pagoda, one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes in Southeast Asia yesterday afternoon (04), where he paid homage and received blessings.
The President received a warm and heartfelt welcome from the Vietnamese people, who had gathered near the entrance of the temple, waving the national flags of both Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
A large crowd lined the pathway within the temple grounds to catch a glimpse of the Sri Lankan President, expressing their respect and goodwill by waving the two nations’ flags.
Upon reaching the main Buddha shrine, President Disnayake paid his respects. The resident monks then chanted Seth Pirith and invoked blessings on the President.
Subsequently, the President paid homage at the Sri Maha Bodhi sapling on the temple grounds, a sacred branch from the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, which was gifted to the Bai Dinh Pagoda and planted there in 2023.
The outer wall constructed around the sacred Bodhi under the technical guidance of Sri Lanka’s Central Cultural Fund was also officially declared open by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on this occasion.
Later the President planted a sapling of the sacred Sal tree within the temple premises, and observed the commemorative plaque marking the occasion.
As a gesture of reverence, President Disanayake presented a memento to the Chief Incumbent of the temple.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, along with other members of the Sri Lankan delegation, were also present for the occasion.
(President’s Media Division)
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20 years since the murder of ‘Taraki’ (Pics)
Journalists and civil society members gathered in Jaffna on April 28 to mark 20 years since the assassination of renowned Tamil journalist and editor Dharmeratnam “Taraki” Sivaram.
The commemoration, jointly organised by the Jaffna Press Club, the Eastern Province Journalists Association, and the Professional Online Journalists Association, took place at the memorial for murdered journalists on Main Street, Jaffna.
Candles were lit and floral tributes were laid before portraits of Sivaram and fellow journalist Selvarajah Rajivarman, who was also murdered on the same date two years later.
Sivaram, a former senior editor at TamilNet, was abducted in Colombo on April 28, 2005 and was later found murdered near Parliament. Despite international condemnation and demands for accountability, his killers have never been brought to justice.
Ahead of the commemoration, a media briefing was also held at the Jaffna Press Club.
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