The website for the Nelum Pokuna (Lotus Pond) Mahinda Rajapaksa Performance Arts Theatre was launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday.

The President will declare open the newly constructed Nelum Pokuna Performance Arts Theatre on Thursday (15).

The Theatre built on a model similar to the Nelum Pokuna (Lotus Pond) of Polonnaruwa, was constructed with the expertise from China at a cost of Rs. 3.08 billion. China has financed a grant to cover 60 percent of the expenditure of the project, and agreed to bear the remaining 40 percent of the cost.

The road from the Horton Place Junction to the Public Library will be named as the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Mawatha and the performance theatre area will be named as the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Square.

The local and foreign artists can obtain information about the arts theatre through the website of the theater at www.lotuspond.lk.

Speaking at the function Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said Sri Lanka had a dream of getting an international arts theatre and the President has been able to make this dream realized.

He said that this theatre will help the present as well as the future artistes to improve their performance talents.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, Dullas Alahapperuma and Secretary to the Ministry of Media and Information, W. D. Ganegala were present at the occasion.