ASHRAFF A SAMAD
COLOMBO: Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed Ambassador to Sri Lanka Khalid Hamoud Nasser Aldasan Al-Kahtani who presented his credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat (Janadhipathi Mandiraya) on Friday, September 16 . hosted a massive reception to mark the Kingdom’s 92nd National Day at the Shangri La Hotel in Colombo on Firday, Sept.23.
Minister at the embassy, Abdulelah Orkobi joined the ambassador in receiving the galaxy of guests from the diplomatic corps, cabinet, parliament, Sri Lankan business community, clergy, public and private sectors.
Among the members of the clergy, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero is the Secretary General of Bodu Bala and Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, the Chief Incumbent of Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple were present to greet the envoy and his staff.
Prime minister Dinesh Gunawardena and the Speaker of the House Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Environment Minister Hafiz Naseer Ahamed, Deputy Minister Cader Mastan, Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, and Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa was present as the minister in attendance.SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem and former minister Rishath Badurdeen and the Dean of the Diplomatic Community, Palestine Ambassador Dr. Zuhair Hamdallah Zaid and Turkish ambassador R. Demet Sekercioglu were present.
The reception was launched with the singing of the national anthems of the Kingdom and Sri Lanka followed by the traditional Saudi folk dances.
