65th Sri Lanka-UN milestone marked with reflective publication

From L to R - Dr Chanaka Talpahewa, Senior Prof. Nayani Melegoda, Prof. Emeritus Amal Jayawardena, Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, George I. H. Cooke

Dr Chanaka Talpahewa, Head UNHABITAT in Sri Lanka delivering the keynote address

The editor and the book

The editor of the publication George I. H. Cooke presenting the first copy to his mother Yvette Cooke

In marking the 65th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s admission to the United Nations, George I. H. Cooke, a diplomatic historian and Deputy Director of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies launched the first volume of a two volume publication on ‘Sri Lanka and the United Nations: Relations with the UN General Assembly’ on 14 December. 

The first volume consists of documents dating back to 1948 when Ceylon first applied to join the UN and was repeatedly vetoed, as well as speeches delivered by Sri Lankan representatives from 1956 to date. Divided into chapters covering particular periods of Sri Lanka’s post-independence history, the first volume covers the period from 1948 to 1982. 

The foreword was co-authored by Admiral Professor Jayanath Colombage, Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka and Senior Professor Nayani Melegoda, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Colombo, while a Special Message was sent by Ambassador Katalin Bogyay, Chairperson of Third Committee of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York

The keynote address on ‘Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy Challenges’ was delivered by Dr. Chanaka Talpahewa, Head of UNHABITAT in Sri Lanka, while Professor Emeritus Amal Jayawardena of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University reviewed the publication at the launch. 

Messages of felicitation were sent by academics overseas, notably Professor Sharad Soni, Chairperson, Center for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India; Vera El Khoury Lacoeuilhe, Diplomat at UNESCO, Member of the Independent Panel of Advisors for the Reform of the UN and Professor at the Sciences Po and Sorbonne Universities; as well as Dr. Titipol Phakdeewanich, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand.

A distinguished gathering which included the Ambassadors of France and Thailand, Deputy Ambassador of Egypt, diplomatic representation from the Russian Federation, Germany, Japan, as well as the Head of UNFPA, and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry attended the launch.

The editor of the publication presenting a copy to the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka

The editor of the publication presenting a copy to Senior Prof. Nayani Melegoda, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo

Guests observing a minute of silence in memory of those Sri Lankans who contributed towards Sri Lanka's journey in the UN