The 75th Anniversary of the Independence Day of Sri Lanka was celebrated at the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Vienna today, 4 February 2023 with the participation of Sri Lankan community in Austria and accredited countries namely, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The ceremony commenced with the hoisting of the National Flag by Ambassador and Permanent Representative Majintha Jayesinghe followed by the singing of the National Anthem, observing two minutes silence to pay tribute to the national heroes, lighting of the traditional oil lamp and the religious observances of all faiths in Sri Lanka.
The National Independence Day messages of His Excellency the President, the Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs were read in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
Addressing the gathering Ambassador Majintha Jayesinghe said today we celebrate our country’s achievement of sovereign independence, joy and pride which was evoked by the historic event 75 years ago, which bring a sense of courage and confidence to collectively resolve to promote the image and interests of our motherland.
In conclusion, Ambassador called on all the Sri Lankans living in Austria and accredited countries to join in seeking a bright future for the younger generation who are at the vanguard of economic and social development.
The Ceremony concluded with singing the national anthem in Tamil and offering Sri Lankan refreshments.
Independence Day celebrations will also be held in Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck in Austria and accredited countries.
The Mission together with Honorary Consuls has planned series of events including cultural performance by Channa – Upuli Art Foundation, tourism promotion at upscale shopping malls, Ceylon Tea promotion and tourism seminar among others, with the assistance of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Vienna
6 February 2023
