Local scene...

[January]

January 7 -A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)signed at Temple Trees between Sri Lanka and India on passenger transport by sea.The MOU will enable ferry services between Colombo and Tuticorin and Talaimannar and Rameshwaram.

January 10 -President opens Lakviru Sevana Sales Complex for disabled soldiers. to market products made by disabled soldiers built under the patronage of Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera with the co-operation of the Dharmayathana Trust.

January 11-A team of consultant surgeons and pediatricians separate conjoined twins after a five and half hour surgery at the Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital in Colombo.

January 16- President Mahinda Rajapaksa commissiones the Sangupiddy Bridge which connects Karaitivu with Pooneryn.

[February]

February 1- Viyama Oshadi sets a record by swimming across the Kelani river. Oshadi swam across the Kelani river at a point where the width is 100 metres.

February 5 - Polonnaruwa and central regions flooded by heavy rain.

February 8 - Deyata Kirula exhibition opens in Buttala.

February 24 - The National Eye Bank of Sri Lanka is opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

[March ]

March1 - Two Kafir aircraft crash in Weeragula during training for the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Air Force.

March 2 - A new one ruppee coin issued to mark the 60th anniversary of the Air Force celebrated on a grand scale at the Ratmalana Airport .

March 22 - The coal power plant Lak Vijaya is declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Norochcholai .

[ April]

April 5 -Legendary film producer Dr Lester James Peries celebrates his 92nd birthday.

April 27- A special stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of man's maiden journey to space issued at a ceremony held under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees .

April 29-Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda commemorates the 100th death anniversary of its founder, Most Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera at the pirivena premises.

[May]

May 5 -International Family Health Day held at Temple Trees .Lalitha Padmini, who was selected the best family health service officer in the Asia Pacific Region is one of four excellent health workers in the world.

May 9 -The Most Ven Agga Maha Panditha Theripehe Somananda Mahanayake Thera ofa the Udarata Amarapura Maha Nikaya hands over a sannasa bearing the Hela Bodu Janaranjana Kirthi Sri Vagishwara honorary title on Prime Minister D .M Jayaratne.

May 15 -President Mahinda Rajapaksa unveils the plaque to declare open the special Mandiraya and Mawatha in connection with the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi celebrations .

.May 18 -Dr Shirani Bandaranayake takes oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the first female Chief Justice of Sri Lanka.

May 20 - The Museum of World Buddhism,the newly built International Buddhist Museum is opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Museum contains 18 chambers and is situated in the premises of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy

May 26 -Members of the Security Forces honoured by the nation at a parade for their valiant role in eradicating terrorism and liberating the motherland.

[June]

June 5 -A special exposition of the Sacred Relics of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka from Pakistan was held at the Maligakanda Vidyodaya Maha Pirivena under the patronageof President Mahinda Rajapaksa

June 6 -Kokavil Transmission tower is commissioned as the Suoth Asia’s tallest transmission tower.

June16 -President Mahinda Rajapaksa participates in the International Economic Forum held in St Petersburg.

June 23 -Newly appointed SAARC Secretary General Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed visits Sri Lanka .

June 28 -Queen of the Sinhala Cinema Malani Fonseka, MP receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from Festival Director Samuel Holt at the International Film Festival held in Kandy .

[July ]

July 1 -The golden jubilee of the People's Bank celebrated

July 11 -New Galle bus stand opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa .

July 12 -The country's first Dagoba made of brass and plated with gold unveiled by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Sri Dharma Viharaya in Kalapaluwawa, Rajagiriya.

July 21 -The Sri Lanka Army launches a project to construct 1,700 houses for people displaced by LTTE atrocities in the Northern Province. Construction of the first 100 houses under this project was completed at Keeramalai in Jaffna.

[ August]

August 16 -First ODI Criket match held at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa. President Mahinda Rajapaksa accompanied by Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed watch the Sri Lanka-Australia cricket match played on this ground.

August 25 -The State of Emergency lifted by the Government. President Mahinda Rajapaksa announsesat initiates a motion in Parliament.

Augu29 -Sri lanka Law College celebrates 137th anniversary at its premises.

August 12 -Shanthi Eva Wanasundara appointed as the new Attorney-General and Solicitor-General.

August 18 -The 13th Colombo International Book Fair 2011 begins at the BMICH .

Augu23 -President Mahinda Rajapaksa addresses the 66th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

August 26 -Two thousand schoolchildren from 100 schools in the Western Province participate in creating a kilometre wall painting. The activity is titled ' Colombo Wall' .

August 29 - Ananda College, Sri Lanka's premier Buddhist educational institution, marks its 125th anniversary with the main commemorative event held at the Kularatne Hall (college hall) under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa .

[September]

September 8 -37th National Sports Festival at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Diyagama, Homagama

September 17 -The 13th Colombo International Book Fair was held from September 17 to 25 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH)

[October ]

October-8

The first South Asian Beach Games (8 to 14 commence in Hambantota.

The opening ceremony is held at the Hambantota Beach Stadium. About 359 athletes from eight South Asian nations compete.

October 13 -Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang arrives in Sri Lanka on a three-day state visit

October 27 -President Mahinda Rajapaksa deliveres keynote address at the session on 'The Indian Ocean and the Pacific Rim-Fast Growing Markets' at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Burswood.

[ November]

November 6 -President Mahinda Rajapaksa who opens the new building complex which houses the Police area headquarters in Tangalle.

November 26 -Yasushi Akashi arrives in Sri Lanka on a two-day state visit.

November 27 -The first phase of the Southern expressway from Kottawa to Galle in operation.

[December]

December 2 -The Dutch Hospital shopping complex which was once the Dutch Hospital in the colonial era opened.

December15 -Sri Lanka's first state of the art international concert hall ' Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa National Performing Arts Theatre'in Colombo comes into operation .Road adjacent is renamed as Nelum pokuna Mawatha.

December 15 -A section of Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha renamed as - Nelum Pokuna Mawatha by Western Province Governor, Alevi Maulana, Minister of Cultural Affairs T.B.Ekanayaka and Colombo Municipal Council Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil .

- President Mahinda Rajapaksa declares open the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Performing Arts Theatre.

December 16-President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurates the construction work on the Colombo Southern Container Terminal.

December 16,17 - A night car race held for the first time in the heart of Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo.

December 18 - President pays special tribute to Lankan migrant workers by participating in a walk held to mark International Migration Day at Galle Face Green.