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The discussion regarding the appointment of new Haj committee members for the year 2024 was held at the Buddhasasana Ministry under the chairmanship of Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake, Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs.
Since the tenure of the Hajj Committee appointed for the year 2023 will end on 14.02.2024, this discussion was held to appoint the new Hajj Committee.
Accordingly, Mr. Ibrahim Ansar was appointed as the chairman of the Hajj Committee, and Mohammad Hanifa Ishaq, Ifas Nabuhanma, Nibras Nasir and Milfar Kafur and
Z. it. M. Messrs. Faisal were appointed as members of the 2024 Hajj Committee.
In a gesture of warm hospitality, President Ranil Wickremesinghe extended a cordial welcome to the distinguished Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Hon. Srettha Thavisin, and the accompanying official delegation at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (03).
After the gracious reception by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, a formal ceremony unfolded, where the Chief of Defence Staff accompanied both leaders to the saluting dais. Amidst the ceremonial ambiance, a Guard of Honour was awarded to the distinguish guests followed by a 19 Gun salute.
Subsequently, the formal introduction of the delegations from both countries, President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Hon. Srettha Thavisin engaged in an exclusive one-to-one meeting, hosted at the President’s office. This intimate session facilitated discussions on various bilateral matters, fortifying the diplomatic bonds between Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Thailand. The convergence of these two leaders underscores a shared commitment to open dialogue and enhanced cooperation between the two nations.
In a bilateral meeting held at the President’s Office, President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister of Thailand Hon. Srettha Thavisin reaffirmed the enduring and enriching relationship between Sri Lanka and Thailand, emphasizing centuries-old ties that transcend the formal establishment of Diplomatic Relations in 1955.
President Wickremesinghe highlighted the long-standing, deep-rooted friendly relations based on Theravada Buddhist linkages and robust cultural connections between the two nations.
The leaders discussed Sri Lanka’s new foreign policy approaches aimed at expanding relations with Southeast Asia and achieving deeper economic integration in the region.
President Wickremesinghe expressed appreciation for the signing of the Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA), emphasizing its significance in the broader context of integrating with the ASEAN region economically. Sri Lanka aims to strengthen its export market in ASEAN and welcomes major investments from the region.
The President sought Thailand’s support for Sri Lanka’s bid to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), underlining the formal request made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
President Wickremesinghe highlighted untapped potential for trade and investment between the two countries. Opportunities for Thai investments in luxury hotels in the Colombo Port City and participation in the privatization of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) were discussed.
Both leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening maritime cooperation, with a special focus on Thailand’s proposed land bridge project across the Isthmus of Kra.
The President expressed gratitude for technical assistance from Thailand, particularly through the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA). Areas of potential cooperation include packaging, ICT, agriculture, tourism, and support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
He also acknowledged Thailand’s past gifts of tuskers and pledged the safety and welfare of remaining elephants in Sri Lanka. Technical assistance from TICA on elephant welfare was also discussed.
Cooperation in the fisheries sector, including investment opportunities in supply chains, and collaboration in agriculture were also proposed during the meeting.
The leaders emphasized the need for close defence and security cooperation, sharing information and intelligence to curb transnational crimes. President Wickremesinghe also proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation.
Both leaders discussed enhancing Buddhist religious tourism, promoting maritime tourism, and improving air connectivity. Plans for a visa-free travel arrangement for normal passport holders were also on the agenda.
Collaboration in regional fora such as BIMSTEC, IORA, ACD, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was acknowledged. Sri Lanka looks forward to strengthening IORA under its chairmanship.
President Wickremesinghe sought assistance from Thailand in repatriating Sri Lankan victims of human trafficking in Myanmar.
In closing, President Wickremesinghe reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to consolidating bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Thailand.
The comprehensive discussions pave the way for deeper economic, cultural, and strategic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Thailand, marking a new chapter in their historic relationship.
Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Phumtham Wechayachai, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakkapong Sangmanee and Thai Ambassador to Sri Lanka Paitoon Mahapannaporn graced the occasion, representing Thailand. On the Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripalada Silva, Trade, Commerce and Food Security Minister Nalin Fernando, Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana, Dhiwara Minister Douglas Devananda, Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake, Foreign Affairs State Minister Taraka Balasuriya and a delegation of ministers, along with Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake and Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardena, were in attendance.
The Award ceremony of the Cultural Center Talent Competition, which is held at the center of regional cultural centers, was held recently (23rd) at Maradana Elphinstone Theater under the chairmanship of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake.
The Department of Cultural Affairs organizes this competition and award ceremony with the support of the Buddhasasana Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs in order to orient the children of Daye towards aesthetic education, to produce a sensitive and virtuous future generation, and to develop their artistic skills with the aim of producing a cultured man.
Awards were presented to students who achieved achievements in various fields of Sinhala-Tamil bilinguals such as music, dance, drama and art. Sandilippai Cultural Center and Kaduwela Cultural Center won the co-championship of the Intercultural Center Pratibha 2023 overall tournament. Also, jury awards, merit awards, and certificates were given to the students who won in various competition categories.
Buddhasasana, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana, Additional Secretary Tilak Hettiarachchi, Director of Cultural Promotion Dr. Prasad Ranasinghe, Director of Cultural Affairs Yasintha Gunawardena, veteran playwrights LS Mohan Raj, Kalai Chelvam and a group of ministry officials joined the occasion.
For Christmas, which is celebrated with great devotion in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, this year's State Christmas Festival was organized grandly at the Bandarawela Dharmapadesa Center by the Department of Christian Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
38 female teachers who worked as Dhamma teachers in Badulla and Monaragala districts for more than 20 years were evaluated, and 24 female Dhamma school students who achieved national-level achievements in the All Sri Lanka Bible Knowledge Measurement Competition conducted by the Department of Christian Religious Affairs were also awarded certificates. And prizes were awarded here.
Exercise books and school equipment worth more than Rs.700,000/- collected from various churches, temples, and schools in the capital by the Christian Religious Affairs Department task force for sharing during Christmas. It was also here that the titles of Badulla were handed over to His Holiness the Bishop for distribution without discrimination.
In this program, which was decorated with various Christmas songs, dances, etc., all the 375 Dhamma teachers in the service of Badulla Padavi were appreciated and presented with prizes.
Under the leadership of Bishop Jude Nishantha de Silva, the Bishop of Badulla, the worshipers and nuns, Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake, Christian Affairs Director Chaturi Pintu, Dhamma teachers, Dhamma school children, and others were also present on this occasion.
The grand ceremony for the 2022 Golden Jubilee Awards Ceremony of the State Drama, celebrating the contributions of artists and craftsmen to the enriching tapestry of Sri Lankan performing arts, took place on Tuesday (19) afternoon at the National Youth Service Council Auditorium, Maharagama. The event was presided over by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Organized collaboratively by the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the State Drama Advisory Council of the Sri Lanka Arts Council, the 50th State Drama Festival – 2022 award ceremony recognized outstanding achievements in the field.
A commemorative stamp was also launched for the Golden Jubilee State Drama Festival, and a special souvenir gift was presented to President Ranil Wickramasinghe by Buddhasasana, Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake.
Secretary of the Ministry of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana, Archeology Director General (Acting) Nishanthi Jayasinghe, Additional Secretary (Administrative Acting) Tilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, Director of Cultural Affairs Department Yasintha Gunawardena, Chairman of the State Theater Advisory Council Parakrama Niriella and a group of artists joined this event.
The Royal Artifacts, which were abducted from Sri Lanka during the Dutch era and given to the country by the Dutch government and are now housed in the Colombo National Museum, were opened for the public to see recently (05).
The opening was presided over by Devi Vandeweed, Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Government, Vidura Wickramanayake, Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs, Sagala Ratnayake, Presidential Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff, Bonnie Hoback, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, Sanuja Kasturiarachchi, Director General of the Museum Department.
The event was held under the theme of 'Bringing our stolen heritage back to us' and a commemorative stamp was also issued here.
These artifacts, which have been under climatic conditions in a foreign country for many years, have been safely deposited under the climatic conditions of this country, and many programs have been organized in the premises of the National Museum on the 6th of December in conjunction with this ceremony.
Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake, Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs, who spoke here, also mentioned the following.
Your heritage, which has been alienated for a long time, has been returned to you. Many people, from the President to the public, worked very hard and diligently to make this heritage available to you.
Our heritage has been taken to many other countries in the world like the Netherlands. We are currently working to get all those things back to our country.
Currently, we are preparing a special program to promote the unknown archaeological sites scattered throughout the country for the tourism industry. We are working to implement these new programs very quickly from the year 2024.
Minister of State for Media Shanta Bandara, Secretary of the Ministry of Buddhist Religious and Cultural Affairs Somarathne Vidanapathirana, Director General of Archeology (Acting) Nishanthi Jayasinghe, Additional Secretary (Acting Administration) Tilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, Director of the Cultural Fund Professor Gamini Ranasinghe, Director General of the Department of Archives Dr. Nadira Rupasingha. A group of dignitaries and officials, Dutch government officials, and the public joined this event.
The release of the Christmas postage stamp duo, which is created with two pictures selected through the postage stamp art competition held annually by the Department of Christian Religious Affairs, was done recently (01) at St. Aloysius Kanitu Church, Little Borella.
A pair of stamps and a first day cover were issued and Deputy Postmaster General Mr. Rajitha Ranasinghe presented the first pair of stamps and the first day cover to Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake.
Certificates and cash prizes were awarded to the winners of the postage stamp art competition in various age groups, and the carol choir of Aloysius Kanitu Devasthala graced the occasion.
The President of the Mass Communication Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference and Assistant Bishop of Colombo Most Reverend Maxwell Silva, the Ministry Secretary Somaratne Vidanapathirana, the Director General of the Christian Religious Affairs Department Mr. Chaturi Pinthu and a group of ministry officials and children joined the occasion.
The Tower Hall Theater Foundation is awarding a scholarship of Rs.50,000/- each to female students who have won commemorative medals at the Diploma Convocation Ceremony of the Tower Hall Theater Foundation, Tower School of Drama and Performing Arts, two-year full-time, Higher Diploma Course in Theater Arts, Academic Year 2020/21 main Done at the office recently (22).
For studying Bachelor of Education in Drama and Theater Arts at the Open University of Sri Lanka Rs. 50,000/- scholarships were awarded under the chairmanship of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake.
C. Situm Vihara, who won the Don Bastian Jayaweera Bandara Memorial Medal, Githani Bhagya Amarasinghe, who won the Advocate John De Silva Memorial Medal, Dulanjali Pavitra De Silva, who won the Advocate Charles Dias Memorial Medal, Chamodi Jayanandima Sachini, who won the Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra Memorial Medal. Remaratne and 2020/21 The minister awarded scholarships to the five female students, Natasha Gayathri, who won the medal for the best student of the academic year.
Buddhasasana Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs National Heritage Division Additional Secretary (Development), K.A.D.R. Nishanthi Jayasinghe, Director General of Tower Hall Theater Foundation Dr. D.M.S. Mr. and Mrs. Dissanayake and a group of officers joined the occasion.
A discussion was held recently (03) at the Buddhasasana Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs regarding the recovery of artifacts of historical value to be handed over to Sri Lanka by the Dutch government.
A number of issues such as depositing the artefacts in a safe exhibition room after a formal acceptance, preparing the arrangements for the public exhibition before the 6th of December were discussed here.
The discussion was held under the chairmanship of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake and a group of officials from the Netherlands Embassy and Ministry officials joined the meeting.
Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake made a request to the Sivihela National Angam Crafts and Arts Federation to join in holding an Angampora cultural exhibition in Sigiriya, Galle Fort, and Jaffna in order to attract local and foreign tourists and popularize Angam art all over the world.
The minister mentioned this recently (03) while attending the members' meeting of Sivihela National Angam Shilpa Art Federation at the Ministry of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs.
Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake further said that there is no limit to the culture and that a proper program will be prepared to nurture and popularize Angam art as an art.
Angan Shilpa website (Angan.lk) was launched on the internet and an identity card was also provided to Angan artisans.
Ministry officials, members of Sivihela National Angam Crafts and Arts Federation and others joined the event.
Department of Cultural Affairs
J.R. Jayewardene Centre
National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka
Central Cultural Fund
Tower Hall Theatre Foundation 
Arts Council of Sri Lanka
Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksha Theatre