President first world leader to address UN in Tamil [September 25 2008]

History was created in New York on Wednesday when President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the United Nations General Assembly briefly in Tamil. It is the first ever speech by a world leader in Tamil at the UN.

Incidentally, Last year, he became the first Sri Lankan leader to address the UN General Assembly in Sinhala. This year, he addressed the forum in both Sinhala and Tamil. "While my mother tongue is Sinhala, let me elaborate a few thoughts in Tamil.

Sinhala and Tamil are the two languages of the people of Sri Lanka. Both these have been used through the centuries, are rich in literature, and are widely used in my country, with recognition as Official Languages. We will march towards a richer freedom and lasting unity that await us as a nation," were the sentiments he expressed in Tamil.