Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad has urged his countrymen to work as one nation for the progress and prosperity of his country.
The envoy was speaking at a grand iftar program hosted by the Sri Lankan embassy in association with the Sri Lankan Expatriates Society (SLES) in Riyadh on Friday. The program was funded by the island's philanthropists in Riyadh and cosponsored by private sector organizations such as National Commercial Bank (NCB), which had opened a speed remittance service recently to Sri Lanka.
“Our country's President Mahinda Rajapaksa strongly believes in "one people one nation" concept, where people of all ethnic communities should work and live together without any differences while following their respective faiths,” the envoy said, recalling that the president also hosted a similar iftar at his official residence a day earlier.
Ambassador Jawad said that his embassy staff,which comprises members of all communities, set a good example by organizing and participating in the iftar program for the benefit of the community members. “ This is an example to be emulated by members of the Sri Lankan community,” he stressed .
Jawad also thanked the Sri Lankan Muslim philanthropists, who contributed generously to make this event a grand success. He also took the opportunity to thank the private sector organizations which made their donations in kind.
The event, which was open to all Sri Lankans, was attended by more than 700 people living in Riyadh.
Separate arrangements were made for women and children to break their fast. The program for the day included three speeches on the significance of fasting in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages followed by a dinner banquet.
During the iftar, traditional "Kanji" ( porridge) was served to all guests along with typical Sri Lankan dishes.
