Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that the Government is committed not only to providing the necessary support for the development of religious places, but also to nurturing moral values, providing positive guidance to society, and promoting national harmony.
The Prime Minister made these remarks on 26th of June while attending the unveiling ceremony of the ’kotha’ of the newly constructed stupa and declare open the new monks’ residence at the Mahigarjanaramaya Temple of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya in Pohoddaramulla, Wadduwa.
Prior to the unveiling of the ’Kotha’, the Prime Minister paid homage to the Most Venerable Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero, Chief Sanghanayake of Southern Sri Lanka, Chief Incumbent of the Sri Bodhiraja Dharmayathanaya in Embilipitiya, and Head of the Bodhiraja Centres in Singapore and Malaysia, together with other senior members of the Maha Sangha. During the visit, the Prime Minister exchanged insights with the senior monks on environmental cleanliness, the promotion of moral values among children, and dengue prevention programmes being implemented in schools.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister participated in the unveiling of the ’kotha’ of the newly constructed stupa and offered the first floral tribute at the stupa.
Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
It is a privilege for me to join this meritorious occasion of unveiling the ’kotha’ of this stupa and dedicate the newly built monks’ residence to the Maha Sangha. This marks a significant new chapter.
This marks an important opportunity to preserve our heritage while passing on the legacy to future generations.
Developing religious places is not merely about constructing buildings with bricks. It is about creating an environment that brings people together and nurtures the moral values that bind our society. That is a responsibility shared by all of us.
There has always been a deep bond between society and the temple. It is inseparable from our social structure and moral life.
Today, with rapid technological advancement and increasingly busy lifestyles, that connection may have weakened. Yet, whenever we face any hardship, it is our faith that we instinctively turn to. That spiritual connection remains deeply rooted within us.
A nation is not developed through economic progress alone. A true national progress is achieved when people’s minds are guided by virtue and when moral values are strengthened. I appreciate the invaluable contribution made by the Maha Sangha and institutions in helping to achieve that goal.
The Prime Minister further noted that archaeological excavations have now commenced in Anuradhapura, Tissamaharama, and Yapahuwa to further explore Sri Lanka’s ancient Buddhist knowledge systems and the culture associated with them.
The occasion was graced by the presence of Most Venerable Gonaduwe Gunananda Thero, Chief Sanghanayake for the Western Province of the Malwathu Chapter and Chief Incumbent of the Korosduwa Vajrakot Viharaya; the Most Venerable Yatawara Ganasiri Thero, Chief Incumbent of Dharma Wardhanaramaya, Yatawara, President of the Millaniya Shasanarakshaka Mandalaya, and Upadhyaya of the Payagala Regional Sangha Sabha; the Most Venerable Bataduwe Sirivimala Nayaka Thero, Chief Incumbent of Nehinna Sri Vishuddharamaya; the Chief Incumbent of the Mahigarjanaramaya Temple together with heads of Pirivena institutions and members of the Maha Sangha and attended by Members of Parliament Nilanthi Kottahachchi and Nandana Pathmakumara, other Members of Parliament, the Chairman of the Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha, members of the Pradeshiya Sabha, and a large gathering of devotees.
Prime Minister’s Media Division