Thousands of Sri Lankans gathered the Zaabeel Park on Friday to celebrate the Sri Lankan Day event, hosted by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka to mark the 70th anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka and the 25th Anniversary of establishing Sri Lanka Consulate General in Dubai. The event aimed to remember and honour all national heroes who devoted and sacrificed their lives for independence and sovereignty of Sri Lanka. The event began at 10am with a Photography competition for amateurs. It was followed by a Legal Clinic and a Blood donation drive. Popular Sri Lankan bands in the UAE entertained the crowd. The The UAE-Sri Lanka friendship walk, which was adorned with traditional performances by various Sri Lankan community groups including children was held at 2 pm to symbolize the strong relationship between the two countries. At 4pm a Cultural show depicting the rich Sri Lankan heritage with traditional dances, orchestra, dramas and songs based on patriotism themes took over the stage.
Addressing his countryman gathered at the open amphitheatre at Zaabeel park, Consul-General of Sri Lanka Charitha Yattogoda said: “Dubai, which saw skyrocketing development under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has always been a model for development for cities across the globe. The UAE has been an inspiration for Sri Lanka to sketch ambitions in its trajectory on the way to becoming a metropolitan hub.”