Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms President’s Counsel Dr.
Wijayadasa Rajapaksa stated that the result of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Mr.
Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest of the United Nations International Vesak Day 2017
in Sri Lanka was that Sri Lanka received the 1919 Ambulance Service.
Minister expressed these views as the chief guest at the international conference for
sustainable development held at the Bandaranaike International Conference Hall in
conjunction with the seventy-fifth anniversary of the World Health Organization,
organized by the Sunfo Institute in collaboration with the Hyderabadi Public Health
Protection Council of India to raise awareness about traditional medicine techniques.
The appointment of young people as brand ambassadors based on the G20 countries
and the awarding of their certificates was also done under the chairmanship of Minister
of Justice Wijedasa Rajapaksa. The Minister delivering his speech, said that diplomatic
service plays a very important role in fulfilling the national aspirations of a country. But
due to the fact that a group of retired officers are often appointed for the ambassadorial
service in our country, we have observed a slow system of getting the international
support, international investments, international trade policies and international aid that
the country deserves for the past many decades. Therefore, it is a great achievement
for the citizens to reorganize the embassy of a country and get an embassy that fulfills
the national aspirations of the general public of the country.
When we see the young men and women who have been elected as brand
ambassadors today, if we create a system of sending such talented young men and
women to the ambassadorial service of our country, the country will receive many
benefits. The time has come to think about this as a country.
Sri Lanka is a geopolitical center in the SAARC region, India has the leadership of the
SAARC region, but the functioning of the SAARC organization has been paralyzed for
almost two decades. There is a specialty in the foreign policy of the Indian Prime
Minister, that difference in the Indian foreign policy is the method of considering the
neighbor as the best friend. It is very important, there is a long history of friendship
between Sri Lanka and India.
The cultural relationship between India and Sri Lanka has developed strength between
our two countries for centuries. Since receiving Buddhism, the relationship with
Mahabharata is very strong. That cultural link is very important for both our countries.
Therefore, I request the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi to give India’s
leadership in reviving the currently crippled SAARC organization, because it is a very
important organization for the South Asian region.
Our countries got a big benefit from it. Mr. Narendra Modi, who was the chief guest at
the celebration of the United Nations International Vesak Day, gave us not only the
1919 Ambulance Service, but also an International Cultural Center. The subject of
international relations plays a very important role in modern international politics.
Regional cooperation, bilateral relations, cultural relations, and security relations are all
determined by mutual friendship and trust between countries. Therefore, we should give
more opportunities to the youth of our country to study this subject and develop this
subject practically. The Minister also said that on the one hand, a group of trained
professionals will be created to successfully fulfill the national ambition of a country and
on the other hand Sri Lanka has the ability to receive the support of international
organizations such as the United Nations in the subject of international relations.
