International Women’s Day

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day celebration organised by the women's organisations of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was held on a grand scale at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.  The theme for this year’s celebration is bringing together the great daughters of the land to build a magnificent Sri Lanka.

The celebration was held under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa while Margaret Alva, Governor of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and former Indian Minister for Women and Child Development participated as the guest of honour.

This year, women's organisations of the SLFP posthumously presented the “Viharamahadevi Special Award” to Danditha Samarasinha Dissanayake Rajapaksa, the mother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The award was received by the President.

Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi; SLFP women's organisations’ adviser Pushpa Rajapaksa; Secretary, Ashoka Lankathilake; Treasurer, Kumari Balasuriya and several other women were present.  Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Basil Rajapaksa, Dallas Alahapperuma and Tissa Karaliyadda too attended the event - Pix by Nalin Hewapathirana