The ‘Wasath Siriya – 2024’ Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival was held on Saturday (27) at the Shangri-La Green premises in Colombo in a grand manner, with the participation of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
H.D. Miyuranga was chosen as the ‘Avurudu Kumara – Wasath Siriya 2024’. The second place went to A.H. Kaushasn Sasanka, and the third place went to A.M. Hirusha Sandeepa, who came from Chilaw.
Cash prizes of Rs. 100,000 each in cash and gold jewellery were awarded to the Avurudu Kumara and Avurudu Kumariya – ‘Wasath Siriya – 2024’. Cash prizes of Rs. 75,000 each and Rs. 50,000 for second and third place were also awarded. Consolation prizes and certificates were also given to the finalists.
The New Year celebration, organised by the welfare association of the Presidential Secretariat with the involvement of other ministries and government institutions, was carried out under the directions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the guidance of Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of the Presidential Staff, Sagala Ratnayaka, and President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake.
Many competitions were held under three categories: public sector, open sector, and guest sector. A large number of people from ministries and government institutions, along with their friends and families across the country, participated in them. Both elders and children eagerly participated in the competitions, demonstrating great enthusiasm. Gifts were awarded to all winners as tokens of appreciation.
A model of an environment with an ancient village house was also recreated there, showing the beautiful relationship between the village and the village house in past village society, and displaying the form of a village house, including sweets, clothes, Sinhala New Year rituals, and many village games and exhibition elements. The ground was also colourful, with a Ferris wheel, a bamboo shoot display, a bazaar, and a traditional medicine house.
Foreign ambassadors, embassy officials, and tourists enthusiastically joined these events, where numerous competitions were specially organised for their participation.
President Wickremesinghe visited the site of the New Year’s Festival in the afternoon and had a friendly conversation with the people present.
The ‘Wasath Siriya – Miyesi musical concert’ commenced at 7.00 pm at the venue with the traditional performance presented by ‘Ranwala Balakaya’ led by Sahan Ranwala and the popular music group ‘Infinity’, along with popular singers Amal Perera, Shashika Nisansala, Ashan Fernando, Ruwan Hettiarachchi, and Adithya Weliwaththa. A large number of people gathered at the Shangri-La Green premises to watch the ‘Wasath Siriya – Miyesi musical concert’.
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