The bouquets for Kshenuka were not masked
The scene was reminiscent of the famous masked ball and masquerade party in the grand finale of the 1963 Hollywood box office hit The Pink Panther.
But this time around, the venue was different: a masked farewell in New Jersey for outgoing Ambassador and Sri Lanka’s United Nation's (UN) Permanent Representative: Kshenuka Senewiratne.
Conforming to rigid health regulations -- and mandatory physical distancing -against the spreading COVID-19 pandemic, more than 75 masked Sri Lankan expatriates braved the virus and turned up for an al fresco farewell lunch last week at Medwick Park at Carteret in New Jersey.
Ambassador Senewiratne and her husband arrived in the company of a Police escort vehicle as befits diplomatic protocol.
Attending the farewell were Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey, and former Franklin Councilman Rajiv Prasad -- both strong political supporters of Sri Lanka. Congressman Pallone is serving his 16th full term in the US House of Representatives, and represents the sixth Congressional District.
Both Mr Pallone and Mr Prasad, praised Ms Senewiratne for her accomplishments, including being the first Sri Lankan woman ambassador to the UN.
The expats at the lunch included alumni of Royal, S. Thomas’ and Ananda Colleges, and representatives of the Sri Lanka Association of New York (SLANY), the Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America (SLMANA) and The
Association of Sri Lankan Muslims in North America (TASMINA).
In his vote of thanks on behalf of the organising committee, Vajira Gunawardana, a former President of the Royal College Old Boys Association East Coast Foundation, thanked the ambassador for her exceptional service to the country, the United Nations and the Sri Lankan community.
As the first female Sri Lankan ambassador to the UN, he said, “you introduced a new level of sophistication to the office of ambassador. This coupled with your demeanour, humility and social engagement with the whole spectrum of the
community, has brought new respect to the office of the ambassador.”
With the current campaign of gender empowerment at the UN, he said, “Kshenuka’s superlative credentials should be an asset when women activists search for the right candidate to be elected the first woman Secretary- General next year.”
Dr Wije Kottahachchi, one of the organisers of the farewell and a former president of SLMANA, singled out the Ambassador’s “brilliant diplomatic career and her service to the Sri Lankan community in the tri- state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.”