FM Sabry attends Commonwealth Day events

March 15, 2023 at 10:45 AM

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry has participated in several Commonwealth Day Commemorative events that were held in the United Kingdom on Monday (13), the High Commission of Sri Lanka in London said.

The Sri Lankan High Commission said in a statement that the Foreign minister had participated in the events during his official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting.

The main event was the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey which His Majesty King Charles III, Queen Consort and members of the Royal Family attended. 

During the service, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain and Chief Incumbent of London Buddhist Vihara Ven. Dr. Bogoda Seelawimala invoked blessings on the Commonwealth of nations and its peoples on behalf of Buddhists. 

In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the UK facilitated Roshani Abbey and Nuwan Hugh Perera, Sri Lankan artists to perform at the service. 

The service also featured a procession of young flag bearers representing each of the 56 nations of the Commonwealth, where Thejani Mahadiulwewa carried the Sri Lankan flag.

The Sri Lankan Embassy stated that Foreign Minister Sabry also attended the reception hosted by His Majesty King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of Commonwealth Day.

Earlier in the day Foreign Minister Sabry participated in the Commonwealth Day ceremonial flag-raising hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons The Right Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle at the Palace of Westminster. 

The minister laid a wreath at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates, to pay tribute to the five million servicemen and women who served in the Armed Forces during the First and Second World Wars, and also participated in the flag-raising event for the Commonwealth Flag for Peace at Marlborough House.

The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the UK Saroja Sirisena attended the events alongside Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. (NewsWire)