Nanjing officially hands over 2017 Asian Youth Games to Sri Lanka

Monday, 26 August 2013 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The flag handing over ceremony of the 2nd Asian Youth Games held in Nanjing took place on 24 August where the cultural performance staged by the members of Sri Lanka’s tri forces stunned the organisers and spectators at the Games. As the host city, Hambantota Mayor Eraj Ravindra Fernando-accepted the OCA flag at a colourful ceremony held at the venue in Nanjing. This was followed by the cultural performance consisting of ‘wes’, ‘thelme’, percussion and improvised sequences. Hambantota was awarded the right to host the 3rd Asian Youth Games in 2017 and as customary, the next host city which is Hambantota took over games flag from the current host of the games.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne , Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Vice President of Olympic Council of Asia and President of NOC Hemasiri Fernando, Sports Ministry Secretary Anura Jayawickrama, Sports Ministry DG Ranjani Jayakody, Secretary General NOC Maxwell de Silva, Consultant to Presidential Secretariat and Coordinator of AYG 2017 Prema Pinnewale, Hambantota GA R.C. de Zoysa, Organising Committee members Vipula Wanigasekera and Athula Amerasekera were among the Sri Lanka delegation that took part in the occasion. The delegation also took the opportunity of studying various aspects of the organising of the games which will be necessary for staging the games in Hambantota The cultural troupe consisted of performers from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Police under Navy Director of Music Commodore Jude Peiris, staged a spectacular event followed by a video displaying the economic progress in Hambantota with the opening of the sea port, airport, cricket grounds and other infrastructure including the planned games city in Hambantota.