09. February 2010

Independence Day celebrations held in Vienna

The Sri Lanka Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna held an official ceremony to celebrate the 62nd Independence Day of Sri Lanka on Thursday, 4th February 2010, morning at the Sri Lanka Mission for the Sri Lanka community in Vienna.

At a solemn occasion, the national anthem was performed by a Sri Lankan musician and sung by a choir of young members of the Sri Lankan community. The event was followed by the hoisting of national flag by Ambassador M.M. Jaffeer. Thereafter, two minutes silence was observed in honor of fallen heroes which was followed by the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by Ambassador, representatives of the three Sri Lankan cultural and social Associations in Vienna, and several members of the Sri Lankan community.  It was followed by Multi religious observances from all four faiths by clergy and religious dignitaries.

He read out the National Day message of H.E. the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the audience. In his address following H.E. the President’s message, Ambassador stressed the great significance  this year Independence Day has assumed after defeating terrorism that has affected the people of Sri Lanka for over three decades. The Ambassador referring to the mandate received by H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa at the recent Presidential election called on Sri Lankan community to unite for reconciliation and socio-economic development of the country. The Ambassador briefed members of the development programmes being carried out by the Government, including the “Uthuru Mithuru” Northern Friendship Rail Reconstruction programme. Following the ceremony, tea and traditional Sri Lankan food was served, including kiri bath, katta sambol, kalu dodol, thala, milk toffee, moong kevum, and other sweet foods, brought from Sri Lanka for the event.

The Embassy also had an evening reception for the Diplomatic community, members of the United Nations and International organizations in Vienna, business community and the Sri Lankan community at the historic museum fur volker kunde – the Museum of Ethnology in Vienna., situated at the Hoffburg Palace. Sri Lanka’s Hony. Consul  for Styria and Carinthia, Mrs. Edith Hornig; Hony. Consul for Serbia, Mrs. Ljiljana Cassim; and Hony. Consul for Croatia, Mr. Marko Vojkovic also attended the function. Sri Lankan tourism brochures and material and display material on Sri Lanka were also on display during the event.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka

5th February, 2010