The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Cairo commemorated Sri Lanka’s 77th Independence Day at the Embassy premises with the participation of the Sri Lankan community in Egypt.
The ceremony commenced with the hoisting of the national flag by Ambassador-designate of Sri Lanka to Egypt, Sisira Senavirathne, followed by the singing of the national anthem. A two-minute silence was observed in honor of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation’s independence. The ceremony included the lighting of the traditional oil lamp and invoking of blessings on the Government and people of Sri Lanka, delivered through religious messages representing the country’s four major faiths. Independence Day messages from the President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism were read out in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.
In his address, Ambassador-designate Sisira Senavirathne underscored the Sri Lankan government’s national policy framework, “A Thriving Nation and a Beautiful Life”, which focuses on initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth, eliminating rural poverty, and driving digital transformation by leveraging advancements in science and technology to build a united and prosperous nation.
He also acknowledged the significant contributions of overseas Sri Lankans to the country’s development and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding their welfare, security, and dignity as a top priority. Highlighting the strong ties between Sri Lanka and Egypt, the Ambassador-designate stressed the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations in various fields such as trade, investment, economy, culture, education, and people-to-people connections.
Emphasizing the government’s policy initiative “Clean Sri Lanka”, the Ambassador-designate explained the project’s objective of transforming Sri Lanka into a developed nation by promoting comprehensive efforts in environmental protection, social responsibility, and ethical practices. He encouraged Sri Lankan expatriates in Egypt to actively participate in and support these initiatives.
The ceremony concluded with the attendees being treated to traditional Sri Lankan refreshments.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sri Lanka.
