Independence Day celebrations on a grand scale today
Sri Lanka is set to celebrate its 70th Independence Anniversary on a grandiose note under the theme, ‘One Nation’ at the Galle Face Green, today.
Several dignitaries including high commissioners, ambassadors and religious dignitaries have been invited for the occasion. The British Royal family will also be represented by Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and his wife Countess Sophie.
As in past years, the celebrations will begin on a religious note with early morning religious observances in designated temples, kovils, churches and mosques in Colombo city.
In a separate function at Independence Square, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will place a floral tribute at the statute of D.S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of the country. At the Galle Face Green all invitees including the Governor Western Province, Home Affairs Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker and foreign dignitaries will assemble around 8.30 a.m. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to arrive around 8.40 a.m. followed by President Maithripala Sirisena who will be escorted to the main flag post by the Chief of Defence Staff, the three Service Commanders and the Inspector General of Police.
The programme proper begins with the national anthem being sung in Sinhala by 110 schoolchildren from 10 schools in and around Colombo including Museaus College, Anula Vidyalaya, Vishaka Vidyalaya, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Ramanathan Hindu College, Zahira College, Royal College, Ananda College and Nalanda College.
President Sirisena will then be escorted to the special dais and the jaya mangala gatha and the devo vasathu kalena will be sung by schoolgirls.
Around 9.05 a.m. a two-minute silence will be observed in honour of all those who laid down their lives for the country. The silence will be broken by a 21-gun salute followed by the address to the nation by the President.
The march past will comprise 3,620 Army personnel, 1,249 Navy personnel, 830 Air Force personnel, 800 police personnel, 505 Civil Security Force personnel and 100 National Cadet Corps members.
The cultural pageant that follows will include more than 500 dancers and musicians performing a mix of multi-cultural dances and music of Sri Lanka.
The pageant will conclude with the national anthem sung in Tamil by schoolchildren. The programme will conclude with a 25-gun salute to the nation by the Sri Lanka Navy.