The ‘Seethawaka Abimana’ festival organised to showcase the ancient glory of Seethawaka area to the rest of the world was held at Padukka Madhya Maha Vidyalaya under the patronage of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa recently. Those who were born in Seethawaka and brought fame to Seethawaka were presented with ‘Seethawakabimani’ Awards. Among the recipients this year was Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha member Mrs. Ranjani Iddagoda. Here Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa presents the ‘Seethawakabimani’ award to Ranjani Iddagoda. Patron of Seethawaka Abimana, Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunarwardena looks on.

Minister of External Affairs Prof G.L. Peiris and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, signed an agreement for the establishment of a Joint Commission at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi, during the official visit by Minister Peiris to the United Arab Emirates. The Ministers had wide ranging talks on the expansion of political and economic relations between the two countries.

A one-day seminar for Provincial Journalists of the Ampara district on, ‘Role of the Journalist in News Reporting’ jointly organised by Sri Lanka Press Council and District Secretariat Ampara under the Deyata Kirula national exhibition program 2013 was held at the Monty Guest Auditorium in Ampara recently. UPFA Member of Parliament Digamadulla District Sarath Weerasekara, Editor, Silumina newspaper ANCL, Karunadasa
Sooriyarachchi, SSP of Ampara Police Ajith Rohana, Senior Lecturer Pandith Madulugiriya
Wijerathna, Media Secretary, Ministry of Mass Media and Information, Sarath V. Dhambawinna and District Secretary Ampara Niel de Alwis also participated. Journalists
of all three languages from Ampara district benefited from the program and were awarded certificates. by I.L.M. Rizan, Addalaichenai Central Cor.