President at D. A. Rajapaksa commemoration

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A special commemoration speech to mark the 55th death anniversary of the late D.A. Rajapaksa was held yesterday (24) under the leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Nawarangahala in Colombo.

This ceremony was organised by the Rajapakse Memorial Educational, Cultural and Social Services Foundation, and was presided over by the Venerable Anunayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanya Maha Nikaya, Head of the Minuwangoda Patthaduvana Bhikshu Training Institute Venerable Nadagamuwe Vijaya Maitri Thero.

Professor Samitha Hettige of the University of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia delivered the keynote address on “The Belt – Road: Lessons for Sustainable Development”.

The book containing the Commemoration speech was also presented to the President.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena laid a floral tribute at the statue of the Late D. A. Rajapaksa.

The Chief Sanganayaka of the Western Province, the Chief Incumbent of the Abhayaramaya Murutthettuve Ananda Nayaka Thero, Venerable Vatinapaha Somananda Thero, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Southern Province Governor Willie Gamage, State Ministers D.B. Herath, Indika Anuruddha, Shashendra Rajapaksa, Janaka Vakkambura, United National Party Chairman and Member of Parliament Vajira Abeywardena, Members of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa, Gamini Lokage, S.M. Chandrasena, former minister Basil Rajapaksa and a group of foreign Ambassadors and other guests attended this event.