Warm welcome for Queen’s Baton in Sri Lanka

By Hishan Welmilla

The Queen’s Baton, which carries a message from Queen Elizabeth II for the opening of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast, received a warm Sri Lankan style welcome yesterday when it reached here from Bangladesh.

The Commonwealth Games Association of Sri Lanka (CGASL) and National Olympic Committee (NOCSL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, have organised several events to welcome the Queen’s Baton to Sri Lanka. 

After welcoming the baton and the delegation at the VIP longue of the airport through a traditional dance, the baton was officially handed over to Australian High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson, who in turn handed it over to the Regional Vice President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) - Sri Lanka President Hemasiri Fernando. It was then officially handed over to the Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara by Fernando.

The baton was then escorted by traditional dancers out of airport and was taken to the Kingsbury Hotel premises where it received another traditional welcome. The baton was then escorted to the President’s house with another traditional dance pageant which included an elephant. The baton was then presented to President Maithripala Sirisena. A dinner will be hosted for the visiting delegation. Subsequent to the official welcome of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Colombo by President Sirisena, the Queen’s Baton will be brought to Galle in Viceroy Special, the 75-year-old steam locomotive special passenger train, today.

The Sports Ministry and National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka jointly organised the event which will be held under the patronage of Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal De Silva. The Viceroy Special will leave Colombo Fort station at 1.00 p.m. in the afternoon. It will then have its first stay at the Ambalangoda railway station before then stopping at Hikkaduwa where it will be accorded a welcome by students and teachers from schools in Ambalangoda and Hikkaduwa. 

The Queen’s Baton, following its reception at the Galle railway station, will be paraded through the streets of Galle city. Finally it will reach Hall De Galle in the Galle Fort, which is a renowned World Heritage Site, where a special gathering will be held. There will be a special UNICEF program held in collaboration with the Minister of Sports and Commonwealth Games Association, Sri Lanka tomorrow at Royal College Colombo. Then the baton will reach the Australian High Commission in the evening where a special function will be held followed by a cultural function at Independence Square. The Queen’s Baton Relay will leave Sri Lanka for Malaysia on 16 October. 

Pix by Kumarasiri Prasad