President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday declared opened the 34th National Sports Festival at D.A. Rajapaksa Stadium in Beliatta.

Addressing the gathering President Rajapaksa said that a similar festival will be staged in Kilinochchi in the very near future.

He also said that sports can bring about peace and prosperity to the country and his vision is to have sports complexes in every district of the country.

The National Sports Festival is the Sri Lankan main domestic mega sports festival which includes 24 sports event organised by the Sri Lankan Sports ministry at a cost of Rs. 50 million.

Three thousand sports men and women from nine provinces were arrived for the event.