The SAARC region reflects a rich and varied plurality of cultural, linguistic, philosophical and spiritual traditions and were heir to a common civilizational continuum of great antiquity, stated Acting Minister of External Affairs Gitanjana Gunawardena when he addressed a Seminar on ‘Rituals, Ethics and Societal Stability in the SAARC Region’ at the SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) on 23rd September 2010.

The Actg. Minister of External Affairs in this context stated that following the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo held in August 2008 under the Chairmanship of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the SAARC Cultural Centre was established in Colombo on 25th March 2009. The Minister also pointed out that the advances of the Information and Communication Technology provided a strong impetus for the Centre to further the SAARC dialogue and interact with the global village.

The Minister stated that the theme of the Seminar related very closely to the main intention of establishing the Centre, namely, to draw more deeply on the strength of our shared cultural heritage as a means of harnessing our collective strengths. He pointed out that for this purpose, it was essential that the region drew from its rich collective cultural heritage and traditional value systems nourished by the three main faiths of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam and other faiths.

Minister Gunawardena noted that the traditional value systems based on ancient wisdom also recognised the delicate relationship between man and his environment and thus the necessity to protect and nurture the environment.

The Actg. Minister of External Affairs added that Sri Lanka has been able to completely redeem a section of its people from agonies they have suffered for over three decades of subjugation by terrorism, through the successfully concluded humanitarian operation carried out by the valiant Sri Lankan forces with dedication and patience, under the guidance of the President of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Ministry of External Affairs
Colombo