Tuesday, 21 February 2023

 Gary MAAS (Narre Warren South) (13:13): I recently had the pleasure of attending the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of Sri Lankan independence, hosted by the Consul General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The event was held at Box Hill town hall. It was really great to be there with Mr Tarlamis from the other place as well as Cassandra Fernando, the member for Holt.

Sri Lankan Independence Day is 4 February, and it celebrates the country’s political independence from British rule. My Sri Lankan heritage has made me more than aware of the struggles and challenges that the country has overcome to remain a strong and resilient democracy. The past year has seen Sri Lanka pushed to its limits with the testing of its democratic institutions as it experiences a really harsh economic crisis, but as always Sri Lankan continues to weather the storm. It is weathering this crisis and it is emerging as strong as ever. The country’s rich history has developed a very robust people and diverse cultural, religious and linguistic traditions. Whilst independence day celebrations are a time to look back, they are also a time to look forward towards unity, justice and equality for all Sri Lankans regardless of ethnicity, religion or socio-economic status. I would love to thank the Consul General Sandith Samarasinghe and his staff for the invitation and for supporting the Sri Lankan community. (Time expired)