Historic day for Sri Lankan Sports, tourism and Hambantota

Sri Lanka signed the agreement with Olympic Council of Asia on 8 November in Macao during the General Assembly of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to host the Asian Youth Games in 2017.

Following the submission and acceptance of the Hambantota proposal to host the Asian Youth Games in 2017 , Sri Lankan delegation led by National Olympic Committee President Hemasiri Fernando together with Hambantota Government Agent R.C. De Soysa signed the agreement with OCA Chairman Sheikh Al Sabah Al Ahmed who is also the President of Association of National Olympic Councils.

This would be the biggest ever sporting event to be held in Sri Lanka for which Hambantota was chosen due to its current image as a rising city of Asia where a separate sports city will be built.

Under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, National Olympic Committee chief Hemasiri Fernando has been working on this proposal for some time with the assistance of the Ministry of Sports, and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau.  

The Hambantota proposal was handed over to Sheikh Al Sabah Al Ahmed in Kuwait a few months ago by Hemasiri Fernando accompanied by Vipula Wanigasekera, General of the Convention Bureau, and the Sheikh visited Sri Lanka to meet the President and to confirm that the event would take place in Hambantota which was announced at a press conference on the same day.

The recent signing ceremony took place in Macau during the General Assembly after the presentation on Sri Lanka and the rising city Hambantota by Vipula Wanigasekera. The Sri Lanka delegation consisted of Major General Palitha Fernando, Prema Pinnawale, Ranjini Jayakody, Upali Rajapaksa, Suranjith Premadasa, and Panduka Ranayake