Despite the closure of shops in lieu of the impending holiday, the sale of National Flags is in full swing with the flags being sold at every street corner. A vendor selling the National Flag ahead of Sri Lanka’s 73rd Independence Day celebrations by the side of a road in a Colombo suburb. Picture by Seneviratne Kahatapitiya.
Defence, Home Affairs and Disaster Management State Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said all arrangements have been made to hold a solemn and simple Independence Day celebration. He was addressing a special media briefing at the Government Information Department to explain the 73rd Independence Day celebrations.
The Minister also requested all government institutions and other institutions to hoist the National from today to the seventh to commemorate the 73rd Independence Day which falls on February 4. Arrangements have been made to hold Hindu, Muslim, Catholic and Christian religious ceremonies, including an all night Pirith chanting to coincide with the Independence Day.
Arrangements have been made to implement a special tree planting programme in each village. This year’s Independence Day celebrations will be held under the theme ‘Prosperous Tomorrow - Prosperous Maubimik’. A number of tree planting programmes will be implemented countrywide to coincide with the 73rd Independence Day celebrations.
This programme is implemented by all District Secretaries covering all Grama Niladhari Divisions.
