President speaks of strong, abiding links with India

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday speaking of the strong ties with India thanked the northern neighbour for funding various welfare projects in the country.

Addressing an event held to inaugurate the Mahatma Gandhi International Centre in the central town of Matale on Sunday (22), the President spoke at length about the strong and abiding links between Sri Lanka and India and the people of both countries, based on centuries of spiritual, cultural, linguistic and economic interaction.

In his remarks, President Sirisena, while thanking the Government of India for funding the Mahatma Gandhi International Centre in Matale, and for various projects in different parts of the Sri Lanka, highlighted the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to humanity and the continuing relevance of his principles and philosophy to mankind.

He referred to the shared religious links between the two countries, with both Buddhism and Hinduism coming to Sri Lanka from India.

President Sirisena and High Commissioner of India, Y. K. Sinha inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi International Centre in Matale, which was built at a cost of Rs. 88.6 million, funded under the Government of India’s Development Cooperation Partnership with Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the ceremony, the High Commissioner highlighted that overall assistance of Government of India to Sri Lanka amounts to $ 2.6 billion, out of which $ 436 million is through full grant assistance.

The High Commissioner highlighted a number of projects undertaken by the Government of India, including the flagship Indian housing project, under which more than 39,500 out of a total of 50,000 houses have been completed.

The Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka was the consultant for the project to build the Mahatma Gandhi International Centre, which consists of an auditorium, library, meditation centre and a conference hall.

The Centre provides a platform to reinforce the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, promote harmony among different communities and to enrich the lives of people through meditation and yoga. It can also be used as a resource centre for cultural activities and for the youth to enhance their knowledge in various fields through seminars, workshops and conferences.