Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya says that art, together with unity, mutual understanding and harmony, is essential for people to lead fulfilling and happy lives. 

She further emphasized the importance of preserving the Sri Lankan identity while remaining open-minded and prepared to face the challenges of a rapidly changing society.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on Saturday (12) while participating in the opening ceremony of a special educational and cultural trade exhibition and festival organized jointly by the Wayamba Janakala Foundation and the Siyapatha Kala Sangamaya, with the vision of revitalizing the artistic heritage of the Seven Korales and creating a culturally empowered individual who appreciates the arts. 

The exhibition will be held from 12 to 18 September, from 10.00 a.m. to midnight at the Wayamba Janakala Centre. The cultural festival has been organized for school students, teachers, youths, and adults.

At the commencement of the exhibition, the Prime Minister opened the exhibition stall of the Department of Education and officially launched the website of the Janakala Foundation.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister further stated:

“We believe that art and culture, both are important in realizing the thriving nation and beautiful life that we aspire. It is equally important to see and learn about the heritage of our country and, through our experiences, engage in a dialogue on how we can take these traditions forward by incorporating them into our lives in ways that are relevant to the present day.

As the Member of Parliament mentioned to me, films are being screened here, educational programmes and workshops are being conducted, and there are a number of performing arts presentations. Through all of these activities, what we hope to achieve is to enrich the lives of the people of the North Western Province. Being ‘rich’ does not mean economic prosperity alone. Building roads, constructing buildings and developing housing facilities are all necessary. But these alone are not sufficient. We can build a modern city out of concrete and still live empty lives devoid of happiness, sensitivity or fulfilment. If we are to truly make our lives fulfilling and create happiness, however, we need things such as these. We need unity, mutual understanding and harmony.

We must also learn through experience how to conduct ourselves in public spaces and how to remain safe within society. We cannot assume that we can protect ourselves simply by separating ourselves from everything and remaining closed off. While preserving our identity, we must be prepared to face the challenges ahead with an open mind if we are to learn how to live safely in a complex society that is changing rapidly due to technology.

Therefore, today, I encourage you to speak to someone you have never spoken to before. Try to understand their life. Share your ideas and experiences with someone who has come from a place far away from you, someone who does not speak your language, or someone who belongs to a different religion or culture. It is through such interactions that our lives become broader and we gain an understanding of new things.

That is also why art and culture are essential to our lives. A good book can take us to places we have never been. A good work of art or a film can bring us closer to another person’s experience in a way that allows us to feel it ourselves. Therefore, I invite everyone to enjoy and appreciate the arts today with a very open mind and a sense of enthusiasm.

I am grateful to everyone who worked hard and dedicated themselves to making this event possible. I wish for these seven days of programmes to be highly successful and to provide everyone with seven days of memorable experiences.”

The occasion was attended by the Governor of the North Western Province Tissa Warnasuriya, Deputy Ministers Namal Karunarathna and Namal Sudarshana, Member of Parliament Dharmapriya Dissanayake, other Members of Parliament, the Mayor of Kurunegala, Chairpersons of Pradeshiya Sabhas, Chairman of the Janakala Foundation Anil K. Senadheera, government officials, school students, residents of the area.

Veteran artists representing the North Western Province who have made an outstanding contribution to the field of art, including Professor Mudiyanse Dissanayake, Nibiriyagama Bandara, Anton Coorey and Charitha Wickramasinghe, were also felicitated by the Prime Minister on this occasion.