75 years of UN celebrations in Sri Lanka today

Friday, 23 October 2020 00:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The virtual event will feature Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; focus on future of young people and multilateralism

To mark its 75th anniversary in 2020, the United Nations is igniting a global debate, UN75. Launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN75 aims to be the largest and furthest-reaching worldwide conversation ever on building the future we want.

By listening and learning, responding and engaging with as many people and constituencies as possible, this global event will also be an opportunity to trigger a dialogue about the UN itself.

UN Day in Sri Lanka, celebrated virtually on 23 October, will focus on the global theme of ‘Shaping Our Future Together’, highlighting the importance of global cooperation and innovative solutions as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Young people are especially vital to drive recovery efforts towards a sustainable future and their energy, enthusiasm and innovation need to be harnessed to build a better world.

The UN Day ceremony will feature Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena.

As part of the event, a high-level UN75 Dialogue will bring together young Sri Lankan influencers and experienced leaders to discuss ‘the role of youth in harnessing multilateral cooperation for COVID-19 recovery’.

Featured on the panel, moderated by UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer, will be Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Namal Rajapaksa alongside Academic and Advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals Dr. Buddima Sinasinghe, Assistant Director of the Ministry of Education Shadika Wazir and Activist and Digital Storyteller Benislos Thushan.

Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Chairman of UN Global Compact Sri Lanka Dilhan Fernando, General Secretary of Sarvodaya Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Research Economist of the Institute of Policy Studies Kithmina Hewage, Co-Founder of Hashtag Generation Mahishaa Balraj, Founder of UDecide Saranee Gunathilaka and Youth and Peace Activist Anojitha Sivaskaran will also be joining the discussion.

The dialogue will be open for online comments and discussions.