Stress on multi-cultural harmony and mutual respect

Looking back at year 2017, it has been an exceptional one in building up close relations between Australia and Sri Lanka. The year marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Hailing it as “a remarkable year for Sri Lanka-Australia relationships”, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Somasunderam Skandakumar picked on multi-cultural harmony and mutual respect as “beautiful lessons” to be learnt from Australia. He found them to be worthwhile practices to be followed in 2018 as Sri Lanka completes 70 years of Independence. 

Addressing the year-end gathering at the High Commission to celebrate Christmas he stressed on the need for unity by quoting from the speech made by late King George VI conveying the decision of England to wage war against Hitler’s Germany. “If one and all are strongly resolutely committed with God’s help we will prevail.”

HC Skandakumar was also impressed by ‘a new Commandment’ he noticed put up on a white board at the church ceremony on the ordination of three Sri Lankans as brothers - “Love each other as much as I love you”. 

Christmas was the last religious ceremony celebrated by the High Commission for the year. Earlier Vesak, Ramazan and Diwali had been celebrated with the active participation of the Sri Lankan community.

The highlight at the Christmas gathering was the singing of carols by a multi-ethnic, multi-religious group representing the Australia Sri Lanka Association and the Canberra Tamil Christian Fellowship joined by the High Commission staff. The audience rose to their feet in singing together the final carol for the evening, the famous Silent Night with lyrics of the first two verses in Sinhala and Tamil and the final two in English.

Rev. Father Kevin Harris delivered a blessing and a message highlighting the true meaning of Christmas.

As for the achievements in the Sri Lanka-Australian relationships there was much to cheer about.

The visits by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as guests of the Australian Government were reciprocated with visits first by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and later by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. While these visits helped to discuss matters of mutual interest and strengthen relationships, they resulted in signing a number of meaningful agreements and finalising programmes beneficial to Sri Lanka. 

The assistance offered by Australia for the elimination of dengue which was reaching epidemic proportions was most timely. So was the help to tackle kidney-related diseases. Violence against women, gender equality, transfer of technology to the agricultural sector, experts going over to Sri Lanka to ascertain the level of mineral resources available were among other key areas that received attention. Help was also made available in handling the narcotics trade which is of much concern, as well as security surveillance through naval expertise of Australia along with the support of the   Federal Police. 

High Commissioner Skandakumar made special mention of the blood donation programme which he termed as “an unusual gesture”, organised by the Sri Lankan community in Canberra on the day the 70th anniversary was celebrated. He said it was greatly appreciated by Government authorities and specially by the Governor-General. 

HC Skandakumar’s concluding message was a quotation from the talk delivered by renowned American journalist Oliver Stone in his address to the US Writer’s Guild after his retirement: 

“Find time to be alone by yourself – to listen to your inner silences to find the true meaning of your life on earth. Never give up your struggles for peace, decency and telling the truth.”