SL to host UN Vesak Day in 2017

A high level committee has been appointed to work towards securing the main UN Vesak Day event to be conducted in Sri Lanka in 2017, a statement says.

The Justice Ministry announced in a press release that the Committee comprising Ministry Secretary Wasantha Ekanayake and Prime Minister’s Additional Secretary J.N. Mangala Tissa had been appointed on the instructions of Buddha Sasana, Justice and Labour Relations Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.

Around 700 Buddhist religious dignitaries from the Buddhist countries such as Thailand as well as several organisations in Europe were expected to attend the event. The event is meant to spread the message of Buddhist philosophy around the world and to strengthen cooperation and exchanges among Buddhist countries and organisations.

The Ministry intends to get the assistance of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Media Ministry, Tourism Ministry, Presidential Secretariats, NGOs and others concerned to make this event a success. A report on the preparations as well as the progress made was expected to be formulated by this committee in due course.