(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –President stated that the language knowledge is the key to building trust, support and mutual understanding among all communities in the country.
President Maithripala Sirisena made this statement addressing the official language day ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall yesterday (01st) morning.
Official Language Policy Implementation Week has been launched from today to July 5th with the objective of implementing the Official Languages Policy effectively. The program is conducted by the Ministry of National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress and Hindu Religious Affairs.
Addressing the gathering, President Sirisena stressed that the reconciliation process that is being discourse should be implemented in order to make the reconciliation process a reality.
In addition, President addressing the gathering of senior officials of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service on the Official Languages Policy and said that it is important for everyone to be aware of other languages as well as to respect their languages.
The President added that the fear and distrust of the people living in the country has been created by unawareness of each other. Therefore, special attention should be paid to promote language skills among children and the general public in order to create a peaceful and free country where all the people could live as equals.
The presentation of the Language Audit Report contributed by the United Nations and published in the Trilingual Forms website was also made at the event.
Mr. Mano Ganeshan, Minister of National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress and Hindu Religious Affairs, Secretary to the Ministry Mr. A.S.M.S. Mahanama, the Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. David Mckinnon, and Prof. Sandagomi Koparahewa, Head of the Department of Sinhala Language Studies at the University of Colombo, Prof. N. Selvakumaran, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, the University of Colombo and several other distinguished guests were also present at the occasion.
