Invests more on children - Dr. Kohona

by Shanika Sriyananda

Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr Palitha Kohona, who won the Global Citizenship Award from the Orphans International Worldwide (OIW), has called upon all Sri Lankans here and abroad to help children to ensure a better future for the country.

The OIW, the US based international organisation founded in 1999, supports orphans and projects relating to orphans worldwide. In Sri Lanka, the OIW helped the orphaned children after the tsunami.

Dr. Kohona, the distinguished Sri Lankan diplomat, according to the OIW has proven his claim for the award with his undeterred leadership in helping humanity globally. Dr. Kohona told the Sunday Observer that the award has encouraged him to engage in more charity work to make the lives of less fortunate Sri Lankan children better.

He said that his diplomatic work also provides openings for more charity work. “ There are many charitable foundations who wish to help viable projects. I hope to tap those resources to help more children”, he said.

Dr. Kohona and other prominent personalities including Cindy Hue, WCBS News Anchor, Dionesia Avgerinipoulou, MP of the Hellenic Parliament, Julio Terzi, Italian Ambassador to the USA, Peter Yarrow, Singer and founder of the Operation Respect and Congresswoman Crolyn Maloney were awarded the Global Citizenship Award in recognition of their contribution to uplift the living standards of children, especially the orphans at a ceremony at the Webster Hall in New York.

Dr. Kohona, who helps children at the Jayanthi Children’s Home, Pambe, Payagala after the tsunami, said that there were thousands of children at village level, who could be given a helping hand for them to look forward to a better future.