Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday, 15 November 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Chinese delegates accompanied by the President and officials of the Chamber paid a courtesy call on the Governor Central Province, Tikiri Kebbekaduwa the previous evening. Pleasantries were exchanged between the Governor and the Chinese delegates during tea hosted by the Governor.
The commemorations commenced with paying homage to the Noble Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha at the inner chamber of Sri Dalada Maligawa in the morning. The visiting delegation was taken around and shown the International Buddhist Museum maintained by the Sri Dalada Maligawa administration, where relics of 17 countries are displayed.
The commemoration meeting was held at the International Buddhist Cultural Center, Pallekele commencing at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, with Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Governor, Central Province as the Chief Guest, and Xie Zhidi, Secretary General of the Chengdu Municipal Government head of the Chinese Delegation as the Guest of Honour. Among the distinguished guests was E.M.T.K.B. Ekanayake, Director Education Central Province.
The welcome address was delivered by the President of the Chamber Nihal Aluvihare, Ekenayake an award winner thanked on behalf of the students followed by the address by the Guest of Honour, Xie Zhidi. The Chief Guest Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa addressed the gathering congratulating the People’s Republic of China on their 65th Anniversary and conveyed his good wishes. The President Aluvihare, on behalf of the Chamber presented the Governor and the members of the Chinese delegation, copies of the collector’s souvenir published to commemorate the event.
The awards and certificates for winners of the Essay and Art competition held among the students of the Central Province on the theme ‘Sri Lanka China Relations’, were distributed by the Governor and Xie Zhidi. Asintha Wijetunge assisted in the arrangements. 100 school bags were gifted to the students who were present, donated by a well wisher of the Chamber. The vote of thanks was delivered by Lasantha Kitulgala of the Chamber. The event was managed by Asela Boomawala of STAID Event Management.
The collector’s souvenir issued to mark the event consisted of several photographs depicting historical sites in Sri Lanka China, places of interest and recent events of importance with regards to bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and China. Valuable articles written by Nihal Mallikaaratchi, the Patron of the Chamber and Deshamanya Sam Samarasinghe, Jagath Savanadasa, both Vice Patrons on topics relevant to the occasion were included in the Souvenir. The Souvenir was compiled by Lasantha Kitulgala, acting Secretary General of the Chamber.
On the following day the Chinese delegates and the president Nihal Aluvihare and Lasantha Kithulgala called over at the Department of Education of the Central Province for a discussion on the implementation of the Educational and Cultural exchange programs between Kandy and Chengdu, where it was decided to have student and teacher exchanges between the two cities along with home stay system. The President of the Chamber has agreed along with the visiting Chinese delegation to formulate a system to grant scholarships to 19 universities identified. The discussions were very fruitful and the program and selected schools in the Central Province will be receiving immense benefits through the said program. The Chamber donated books to the Department of Education to be distributed to the school libraries in the Province.
