Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

FOREIGN MINISTER OUTLINES SRI LANKA’S DIGITAL RESPONSES TO COVID -19

2020-07-03FM

Visionary political leadership of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the effective use of technology in a whole – of – government approach has enabled Sri Lanka to control the COVID-19 and a wide range of pandemic related issues – said Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena addressing the Virtual Ministerial Conference on ‘Close the Digital Divides: the Digital Response to COVID-19’.

The Conference jointly organized by Estonia and Singapore on 1 July 2020 was attended by Ministers and representatives from over 60 countries.

Foreign Minister Gunawardena also briefed the Conference on the digital solutions introduced by Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 period, including ‘Contact Sri Lanka Portal’ set-up by the Ministry of Foreign Relations along with the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), to respond to the requests from overseas Sri Lankans. He thanked the private sector partners for their contribution during these challenging times.

Observing the increasing role of digital technology in a post- COVID-19 world, Minister Gunawardenacalled for collective action of all nations to address cyber security challenges as well as to share the best practices and technologies with resource constrained countries.

Sri Lanka endorsed the “Global Declaration on the Digital Response to COVID-19”, that was adopted at the Virtual Ministerial Conference.

The Declaration is available at :https://vm.ee/sites/default/files/Estonia_for_UN/Rasmus/close_the_digital_divides.pdf

Ministry of Foreign Relations

Colombo

3 July 2020

Full statement of Minister Gunawardena Could be downloaded via: http://www.mfa.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Statement-by-Minister-of-Foreign-Relations-of-Sri-Lanka.pdf

THE MESSAGE OF H.E. GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA, PRESIDENT OF SRI LANKA FOR THAI PONGAL 2022

(https://mfa.gov.lk/the-message-of-h-e-gotabaya-rajapaksa-president-of-sri-lanka-for-thai-pongal-2022/)

INTERVIEW OF FOREIGN MINISTER DINESH GUNAWARDENA ON “ILAKKAYA”

Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was interviewed by Roshan Watawala of “Ilakkaya” on Sirasa TV on 01 July from 10.30 – 11.30 pm

Full interview can be viewed at: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Es9gLxU35aI

Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Canada wishes peace and good health to the Canadian Tamil community on Thai Pongal Day

“Thaipongal is the festive harvest season for the Hindu Tamil community world over. Thai Pongal is dedicated to the Hindu sun god Suriya Bhagavan thanking him for providing agricultural abundance beginning from the month of January.

The festival is named after the ceremonial "Pongal", which is the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with juggery. To mark the festival, the pongal sweet dish is prepared, first offered to the gods and then shared with family and friends. The festival also includes offering prayers in the home, temples, getting together with family and friends, and exchanging gifts to renew social bonds of solidarity.

The Tamil language is regarded as one of the oldest languages in the world and abundant with literary works. Among the great poets who have enriched the Tamil language are Thiruvalluvar, Kambar, Ilangko and Subramania Bharathiyar. Similarly, Sri Lankan poets like Somasunthara Pulavar,Vipulanantha Adigal and Mahakavi have contributed to the richness of Tamil poetry.

Thaipongal is also a time to celebrate the contributions made by Tamil-Canadians to the Canadian society; the richness of the Tamil language and culture, and passing down at important traditional values, ethics for future generations.

Sri Lanka as a multi - ethnic and multicultural society that has over the years collectively nurtured the celebration of important festivals such as Thaipongal: I am pleased and happy to wish peace and good health to the Canadian Tamil community as they celebrate Thaipongal.

Harsha Kumara Navaratne

High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Canada

FOREIGN SECRETARY ARYASINHA SAYS “FUTURE FOOTPRINT OF FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT SRI LANKA WILL PROVIDE THE WORLD, THOUGH PROBABLY SMALLER, COULD BE SMARTER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE”

2020-07-01-SFA

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha has observed that despite its immediate gloom, the present situation has been an eye opener in many respects that could help correct structural, procedural and human interface incongruities in Sri Lanka’s labour migration. It also presents an opportunity for Sri Lanka to re-orient foreign employment in a post-Covid-19 world, sensitive to the ground realities in both Sri Lanka and the migrant labour receiving countries, so that the future footprint of Foreign Employment Sri Lanka will provide the world – though probably Smaller, could be Smarter and more Sustainable.

The Foreign Secretary made these observations when he addressed the 33rd Annual Session of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA) via a video link, on the theme “The Role of Foreign Employment in the Economic Revival of Sri Lanka; Challenges and Opportunities”.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated this year’s Annual OPA Session held on 27-28 June 2020 as a Digital Conference,on the theme ‘Bounce Back–Disasters and Opportunities”.