Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe states that the uniqueness found in both children and the elderly is highlighted by celebrating childhood and elderly on the same day.

In his message for the World Children and Elders Day, the Prime Minister says that an arrangement should be made to ensure that older persons’ needs are met while children should be given strength to achieve their goals without being overwhelmed by emerging challenges.

The complete message of the Prime Minister is as follows:

Taking care of elderly people counts the same way we protect our children, because both childhood and the elderly hood are two important stages of life where assistance, love and protection are needed than in any other stage of life.

This uniqueness found in childhood and in elderly is highlighted by the act of designating World Children’s Day and the International Day of Older Persons on the same day by the United Nations Associations.

Older people deserve equal respect and acknowledgement for their dedication and commitment to contributing to a world free from fear and free from want. A robust arrangement must be there to ensure our senior citizens are well protected, cared and to make sure that their needs are addressed.

Children need to be strengthened to move forward in achieving their goals without being overwhelmed by the emerging challenges. Providing them with the best education, health care and other facilities have been the priorities of this government in its efforts to brighten their future. 

I believe that all our collective endeavours will assure a secured world for both our children and our senior citizens.  

Ranil Wickremesinghe
Prime Minister