COLOMBO : Ameer Ajwad, Director General for the Policy Planning, Performance Review, Implementation and Human Resources Development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Oman said, “Language means mutual communication. Mutual communication leads to mutual understanding. Mutual understanding leads to social cohesion and tolerance. Social cohesion and tolerance leads to reconciliation which brings eventually peace to a nation-State.”
Ahead was addressing as a Guest Speaker at a Symposium on Official Languages Policy Implementation, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government in collaboration with National Equality Advancement Project (NLEAP),
Highlighting the importance of preserving the national languages that are the nation’s cultural heritage and asset, he proposed the Official Language Policy of the country which is guaranteed by the Constitution of Sri Lanka, to be made compulsory from the early years schooling to facilitate the future generation to be multilingual which would ensure social cohesion and reconciliation.
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Council, and local Government Dinesh Gunawardane inaugurated the Symposium at the Grand Ballroom, Galle Face Hotel in Colombo which was held from 11 -12 July 2023.
Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Eric Walsh, Parliamentarians, Dilan Perera, KulasinghamThilipan and Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs Ranjith Ashoka, Addl. Secretary for Public Service Reforms, and National Languages of the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs, Provincial Council, and local Government, Anuradha Wijekoon, member of Public Service Commission Prof. N. Selvakumaran, Director of National Languages Equality Advancement Project, Michael Emblem, Project Director Veena Verma, diplomats, Senior Government officials from different parts of the country including North and East, academics from different national universities and students, members of Civil Society organizations and donor agencies took part as delegates at this two days Symposium.
