2025-03-28
News Categories : News
The Ambassador of Egypt to Sri Lanka H.E Adel Ibrahim, recently (Mar. 26) met with the Hon. Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne at Parliament premises. Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Chaminda Kularatna was also present on the occasion.
During the discussion, the Hon. Speaker highlighted the seven decades of friendship between Sri Lanka and Egypt, emphasizing the deep historical and cultural relationships shared by both countries. He also noted the efforts of the new government in driving Sri Lanka towards a corruption-free and stable economy. The Hon. Speaker invited Egyptian investors to explore opportunities in Sri Lanka, particularly in key sectors such as the apparel industry and tourism.
Ambassador H.E Adel Ibrahim extended his warm wishes to the Hon. Speaker and commended the Sri Lankan government’s initiatives to achieve economic stability. He reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to enhance the longstanding friendship between the two countries, underscoring the importance of deepening cooperation in various sectors.
Both sides engaged in productive discussions on expanding bilateral ties in areas such as trade and investment, tourism, culture, and exchange programs. The Ambassador expressed a keen interest in fostering collaboration between the two nations to further strengthen these important sectors.
The Hon. Speaker also mentioned that efforts are underway to revive the Sri Lanka-Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Association, aimed at fostering closer Parliamentary ties and enhancing mutual understanding between the legislative bodies of the two countries.
2026-06-02
During the weekend of the sacred Vesak festival, which commemorates the three auspicious events in the life of Lord Buddha, the Parliament of Sri Lanka was transformed into a beautiful setting adorned with the splendour of Vesak.The Parliament premises were beautifully decorated with colourful Vesak lanterns, illuminated lights, Buddhist flags and various other Vesak decorations. These decorations created a serene and visually appealing atmosphere, providing spiritual comfort and tranquillity to all who visited or witnessed the surroundings.The decorations also helped convey the true meaning of Vesak by reminding society of the core values of Buddhism, including loving-kindness, compassion, peaceful coexistence and moral integrity. At night, the glittering lanterns and illuminated displays added a unique charm and beauty to the Parliament complex.Reflecting the universal message of Buddhism that transcends race, religion and culture, the Vesak decorations highlighted the importance of building a society that values peace, coexistence and humanity.In parallel with these celebrations, a special ceremony was held around the sacred Bo tree planted within the Parliamentary premises, which originated from a sapling of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi. Oil lamps were lit around the Bo tree as part of the observances. Through these religious rituals, homage was paid to the teachings of the Buddha, while prayers were offered for peace, prosperity, and well-being for the nation and its people.Parliament, resplendent with the vitality of the Vesak festival, became another striking symbol of Sri Lanka’s proud Buddhist culture and rich spiritual heritage, demonstrating the importance of these enduring traditions to the nation and its people.
2026-05-30
Today marks the noble and sacred Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, which commemorates the 2570th Sambuddha Triple Blessed Event (Birth, Enlightenment, and Passing Away). This day is of paramount importance not only to the Buddhist community worldwide but also to us as Sri Lankans, as the heritage and foundation of our country’s social and cultural value system are deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy.The theme for this year's Vesak Day is "Abhittharetha Kalyane," which means "Let us rally swiftly for the common good." This is indeed the greatest example we can draw from the life of our great teacher, Gautama Buddha, who renounced everything and dedicated his entire life to the well-being and happiness of the general public.I also believe that the manner in which our Sri Lankan nation stood together for the well-being of fellow citizens affected by past natural disasters clearly reflected these core Buddhist religious values inherent within our society.Therefore, in leading our lives according to the profound spiritual message taught by the Buddha, we must always act for the well-being and happiness of the public. Religion serves as one of the fundamental pillars in building a society that can act for the benefit of suffering fellow human beings as well as for the welfare of the collective community. To achieve this, a new revival must also be brought about within religion. I believe that such a religious awakening can foster a social awakening, thereby inheriting a healthier and more prosperous society.Accordingly, on this noble Triple Blessed Day, while inviting everyone to resolutely unite and commit to the common good as a whole society, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the Sri Lankan and global Buddhist community celebrating the festival of Vesak today.May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all...!Dr. Jagath WickramaratneSpeakerParliament of Sri Lanka
2026-05-27
A Parliamentary delegation comprising twenty Members of Parliament and four officials of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, led by the (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Hon. Deputy Minister of Mass Media, departed from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on 25th May 2026 to participate in the Workshop for Members of Parliament of Sri Lanka being held in Beijing and Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China. The programme is organized by the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China from 26th May to 5th June 2026.The delegation arrived in Beijing on 25th May 2026 and commenced official engagements on 26th May 2026 with the Opening Ceremony of the Workshop held at the Fenghui Centre in Beijing.Addressing the Opening Ceremony on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation, (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Hon. Deputy Minister delivered a statement at the event in her capacity as Head of Delegation. Remarks were also made by Ms. Poornima Gunasekera, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing and Mrs. Qiu Aijun, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission of China. The programme includes a series of lectures, discussions, institutional visits and field engagements in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangdong Province, focusing on governance, economic development, infrastructure modernization, technological innovation, green development, and sustainable development initiatives in China.Sri Lanka’s participation in the Workshop underscores the continued commitment of both countries to further strengthening longstanding bilateral relations, enhancing Parliamentary diplomacy, and promoting institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange between Sri Lanka and the People’s Republic of China.The Sri Lankan delegation comprises T.B. Sarath, Hon. Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply; Hon. Members of Parliament Chamara Sampath Dasanayake; Rohana Bandara; W.H.M. Dharmasena; Upul Kithsiri; Thahir Marikar; Chandana Thennakoon; Dharmapriya Dissanayake; Susantha Kumara Nawarathna; Nandana Pathmakumara; Stefani Fernando; (Dr.) Sri Bavanandarajah; E.M. Basnayaka; Mohammed Sharif Fasmin; (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam; Dinesh Hemantha Perera; Samantha Ranasingha; Abthul Wazeeth and Roshan Akmeemana.The delegation also includes Mr. Hansa Abeyrathne, Assistant Secretary-General; Mr. Gamage Sarath Kumara, Director (Finance); Mr. Lal Kumarasiri, Senior Parliamentary Interpreter and Mrs. Ama Vithanage, Chief Parliamentary Protocol Officer.
2026-05-22
A discussion between the members of the Sri Lanka - Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Association, led by its chairman Hon. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, and the Ambassador of Republic of Cuba to Sri Lanka, H.E. Patricia Làzara Guerra, was held recently (May 20) at Parliament premises. The meeting focused on the future activities of the Sri Lanka–Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Association and explored avenues to further strengthen the longstanding relations between the two countries.Recalling the historic friendship and close ties shared by Sri Lanka and Cuba, the Hon. Minister emphasized the importance of enhancing Parliamentary diplomacy and reinforcing democratic cooperation between the legislatures of both nations.Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Patricia Làzara Guerra expressed her commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation in a number of key sectors, including healthcare, sports, agriculture, and climate change. She also reaffirmed the dedication of the Cuba–Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association towards promoting stronger inter-parliamentary engagement and collaboration.The Ambassador further stated that arrangements are being made to organize a virtual meeting between members of the Parliamentary friendship associations of the two countries, with the aim of fostering closer interaction and dialogue. She also invited members to participate in commemorative events being organized to mark the centenary birth anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.During the discussion, members of the Parliamentary Friendship Association also exchanged views on possible areas of support and cooperation that Sri Lanka could extend to Cuba international levels.The Ambassador additionally provided a detailed overview of the current situation in Cuba and briefed the members on the challenges presently being faced by the country.
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