www.asiatimes.com.au News and Views from Asia Pacific
- New Delhi: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will be visiting Sri Lanka on 11th and 12th May, 2017.
- In a post from his Facebook account the Prime Minister said:
- "I will be in Sri Lanka for a two-day visit starting today, 11th May. This will be my second bilateral visit there in two years, a sign of our strong relationship.
- During my visit, I will join the International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo on 12th May, where I will interact with leading Buddhist spiritual leaders, scholars and theologians. It is my honour to join these celebrations with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
- My visit brings to the fore one of the most abiding links between India and Sri Lanka- the shared heritage of Buddhism.
- During my last visit in 2015, I had the opportunity to visit Anuradhapura, a UNESCO world heritage site and a leading centre of Buddhism for centuries. This time, I will be privileged to pay respect at the revered Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, also known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
- My visit will commence in Colombo with a visit to the Seema Malaka at the Gangaramayya temple where I will take part in the traditional lamp lighting ceremony.
- I will be meeting with President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and other eminent dignitaries.
- I will also visit the up country region of Sri Lanka where I will inaugurate the Dickoya Hospital that has been built with Indian assistance, and have an interaction with the Indian-origin Tamil community.
- I will be sharing more from Sri Lanka on social media. You can watch all my programmes in Sri Lanka live on the ‘Narendra Modi Mobile App.’"
- PM arrives in Colombo, visits Seema Malaka Temple
- The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, arrived in Colombo this evening. He was received at the airport by the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickramsinghe, and other senior Ministers.
- Both Prime Ministers later arrived at the Seema Malaka Temple, where they were received by the Chief Monk of the Temple, among other dignitaries.
- The Prime Minister offered flowers at the altar of the Temple. Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Wickramsinghe together pressed a switch for the lamp-lighting ceremony on the eve of Vesak Day, characterised by brilliant multi coloured lights and a fireworks display.
The Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe is also seen.
