(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Sri Lanka celebrates its 76th Independence Day at the Galle Face Green in Colombo from 8 a.m. today. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena will jointly preside over the celebrations on the theme “Let’s Build a New Country.”
Prime Minister of Thailand Srettha Thavisin arrived in the country yesterday afternoon to participate in the national Independence Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour on the invitation of President Wickremesinghe.
The historic Thailand-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA) was signed yesterday in the presence of President Wickremesinghe and Thai Prime Minister Thavisin, who is accompanied by a 39-member delegation.
The delegation comprises Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee and a high-profile business team.
At the Independence Day celebrations, the national anthem and Jaya Mangala Gatha will be sung by a choir of 100 students.
This year’s celebrations will prioritise the Tri-Services Guard of Honour segments, according to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
The War Heroes commemorative parade will be held with the participation of 3,042 members from the Army, 917 members from the Navy, 605 members from the Air Force, 299 members from the Police, 209 members from the Police Special Task Force (STF), 379 members from the Civil Defence Force (CDF), 500 members from the National Cadet Corps (NCC), 22 retired officers and 29 differently-abled officers. The parade will display over 100 armoured vehicles, some of which have been locally fabricated and manufactured.
The Police launched a special traffic plan from January 30 for the Independence Day parade rehearsals. Effective from 2 pm yesterday, it covers the environs of the Galle Face Green.
