UNESCO Chief praises SL for preserving Mahavamsa Ola leaf manuscripts

UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay expressed gratitude to the University of Peradeniya for preserving the Mahavamsa Ola Leaf manuscripts, which not only hold significance for Sri Lanka, but also contain valuable information on world history. Azoulay highlighted this during a ceremony at the university yesterday (17), where the Mahavamsa was officially recognized as a World Heritage document and the World Heritage certificate was presented.

Azoulay noted that Sri Lanka, home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, has maintained a strong relationship with UNESCO over the past 75 years. She also emphasized UNESCO’s commitment to safeguarding historically significant cultural sources worldwide and praised those who helped identify the authentic historical text of the Mahavamsa from several versions found in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the event, Professor Rohitha Dissanayake, Head of the Department of History at the University of Peradeniya, explained that the Mahavamsa consists of 238 ola leaves and chronicles Sri Lanka’s unbroken history without any alterations. He clarified that the manuscript should not be understood as solely the history of one nation or religion, as it covers a broad spectrum of historical events from the 6th century BCE to 1815.

The event was attended by distinguished guests, including Peradeniya University Chancellor Professor G.H. Peiris, Vice Chancellor Professor M.D. Lamawansa, Chief Librarian Rasaiya Maheshwaran, various academics, and representatives from UNESCO and the National Library Services Board. Following the ceremony, Azoulay visited the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic where she paid homage and received blessings.

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