The Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the closing ceremony of the Symposium on Climate Action 2025 held at Shangri-La, Colombo, on 1st October 2025.

The two-day Climate Action Symposium 2025 (CAS) was facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation in collaboration with the Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP) and UNDP Sri Lanka. The seven-year project, known as වැව්ගම් පුබුදුව (Wewgam Pubuduwa), aims to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers in the Dry Zone to climate variability and extreme events, covering seven project districts with the support of the Green Climate Fund. The theme for CAS 2025 was “Integrated Resource Management for Climate Resilience: Transforming Communities and Shaping Policies.”

The symposium brought together professionals from agriculture (crops, livestock, poultry, aquaculture), drinking water, meteorology, disaster management, and environmental sciences from across Sri Lanka, creating a collaborative platform to advance development and academic discourse on water and climate resilience.

It also provided a timely opportunity to highlight and publicize the important lessons and research evidence identified from the Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP) and research work with direct relevance to policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners, with the academic partnership of the University of Peradeniya.

Delivering the keynote address, the Prime Minister stressed the need for scaled-up climate finance under the new National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030. She further outlined priority areas, including rural development, climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem restoration, disaster preparedness, and green growth. The Prime Minister called for collective action to translate symposium insights into national policies and community-level solutions, ensuring that Sri Lanka’s efforts serve as a model for global climate resilience.

The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, Mr. Susil Ranasinghe; Resident Representative for UNDP, Ms. Asuza Kubota; Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri; National Project Director, Mr. Chandana Edirisooriya; officials, academics, and professionals in the field.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

The Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations were held at Temple Trees on 2nd October 2025, to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The event was attended by the Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, together with the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha.

As part of the commemoration, a flower garlanding ceremony was conducted before the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, paying tribute to his enduring legacy of peace, non-violence, and humanity.

The ceremony was attended by officials of the Indian High Commission and senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office, reflecting the significance of the occasion and the longstanding cultural and historical ties between Sri Lanka and India.

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I believe that these children will fulfill that responsibility well.

The Prime Minister stated that planting a tree should not be regarded as only a symbolic act, but it is also a responsibility of the present generation to protect them for the future generation.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya made these remarks while addressing the inauguration event of the “Soba Sipwadula” Project.

The inauguration ceremony of the “Soba Sipwadula” project, carried out under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative by the Sri Lanka Hadabima (Heartland) Authority with the aim of creating a sensitive and caring generation towards the environment, was held on October 02 at Colombo Hindu College, Ratmalana.

Representing the Western Province, the Prime Minister planted a jackfruit sapling within the school premises, while simultaneously 100 saplings were planted by the schoolchildren.

This program, launched with the objective of developing green zones in 50 selected schools, was simultaneously initiated in the remaining eight provinces under the leadership of the respective Governors.

Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:

Today I was able to begin the day by planting a sapling in a school. It gave me a good beginning in a remarkable day.

When we formed this government, we agreed that we would come together and transform this country. If we are to transform it, citizens must collectively join hands in this transformative journey with the initiative of Clean Sri Lanka.

The Clean Sri Lanka initiative has three goals. Its objectives contribute to nurturing the values and qualities needed to build a society suitable for us to live in.

The program we are carrying out together today includes all these values. We engaged school children in this tree-planting program because of the values we build together with society. We have a responsibility to protect the environment we live in, to live in harmony with nature.

This also helps to instill values in children. We have a responsibility to protect the Earth we live on. We must ensure that we pass down a better environment to the next generation.

In environmental discourse, there is a concept known as a sustainable environment. Our development must be sustainable. The essence of sustainability is that whatever we do today, we must also think about the future generations. It is our duty to create a world that can be handed over to them.

To move toward a sustainable future and a sustainable journey, citizens of all ages must take part in such programs.

What we must do is not simply plant trees and look up at the sky, but protect and nurture them so that they grow into trees that provide shade for future students of this school and for the next generation. I trust that all of you will take good care of them.

We are fortunate to live in Sri Lanka. We live in a country with rich biodiversity. Our country is very beautiful. The main reason for that is our environment, and we must protect it. We must be sensitive to the toxins we add to the soil and water. We must think about how we dispose of plastic bottles and shopping bags when we travel. All these are linked to the environment. It is through such practices that we pollute it. It is humans who destroy the environment, but it is also humans who can protect it and prevent destruction. Let us develop a society that protects our environment. The goal of Clean Sri Lanka is to build this country into a developed nation.

Through human intervention, we must always strive to move this country forward. I believe that all of you will join together for achieving this purpose.

The event was attended by the Members of Parliament Lakshman Nipunarachchi and Samanmalee Gunasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, Additional Secretary to the President’s Office Mr. G.M.R.D. Aponsu, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Heartland Authority Mr. R.D. Siripala, Chief Operating Officer at Capital Maharaja Group Mr. S.V. Weerasekara, Principal of Colombo Hindu College, Ratmalana along with the staff and students.

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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya affirmed the government’s full commitment to safeguarding children and clarified that the law against corporal punishment should not be seen as a law against discipline, but as a law against violence.

Prime Minister made these remarks today (01) at Temple Trees, addressing the ceremony organized by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs to mark World Children’s Day under the theme “Nurture with Love – to lead the World.”

A commemorative stamp and first-day cover were also issued in this occasion.

Addressing the gathering Prime Minister further stated:

When taken proportionally, the child population in our country represents nearly 31% of the total population. As a government, we bear a great responsibility towards them.

The theme of this year’s World Children’s Day is ’Nurture with Love – to lead the World.’ The foremost duty we must fulfill for children is to ensure their safety.

By safety I mean, despite the background or circumstances that children may live under, the responsibility falls to ensure the safety of all children, without leaving anyone behind, while enabling them to live freely in an economically, socially, and psychologically secured environment.

As a government that upholds the principle of ’A Safe World for Children – A Creative Future Generation,’ we are already working to the fullest extent to ensure their safety.

Particularly over the past year, the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs has accomplished much more for children by formulating laws for their welfare and social protection, preparing policies, strategies, programs, and projects to ensure children’s well-being along with conducting follow-ups and evaluations.

Accordingly, under the previous budget proposals, several important decisions were made, including a monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000 for institutionalized children and street children, as well as initiating the establishment of digital facilities-equipped testimony rooms to enable victimized children to provide testimony safely.

In addition, eliminating all forms of violence against children has received the special attention of the government.

As an extension of that, the Bill concerning corporal punishment of children is to be presented in Parliament. Various opinions and debates have emerged regarding this Bill and such discussions are necessary when drafting laws.

There is no point in formulating laws which do not concern the country and the people.

However, we must be mindful in these debates. The expectation behind the amendment to the Corporal Punishment Act is to stand against violence, not against discipline. If children misbehave or conduct themselves wrongly in society, it is natural that elders, teachers, and parents intervene to guide them back to the right path.

Elders do not resort to violence to guide children. I do not believe that schools impose violence in order to maintain discipline. Likewise, this amendment is not against maintaining discipline in schools.

We are not seeking to punish elders, teachers, or parents for guiding children. Our goal is to prevent children themselves from ending up in prison.

It is the government’s expectation to build a talented and sensitive younger generation who learn under the guidance of compassionate and caring teachers.

The event was attended by Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs Ms. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Justice and National Integration Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara, Deputy Minister Dr. Namal Sudarshana, along with several other ministers, secretaries of ministries, officials, foreign representatives, and a large number of children and parents.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

It is with great pleasure that I extend my greetings as Prime Minister on the celebration of World Children’s Day, under the theme ’Nurture with Love – to lead the World.’

Children are the lifeline of a nation. It is our responsibility to build a fostering childhood for them.

As a country with nearly 31% of its population comprising children, the Government has been entrusted with a special responsibility.

Understanding this responsibility with utmost sincerity, our Government is committed to creating ’a safe world for children – a creative future generation,’ by ensuring their protection, safeguarding their childhood, and providing every facility necessary for their growth.

The government has already initiated in guaranteeing the safety of every child while creating an economically, socially, and psychologically secured environment that is child-friendly, enabling them to live with dignity and be enriched with knowledge.

It is the expectation of the present Government to raise a child who grows up in a free, peaceful, and compassionate environment. In this regard, I emphasize that every possible measure is being taken to prevent the child labour, child abuse, harmful pressures, and stress from the lives of our children.

On this day, which also coincides with World Elders’ Day, I extend my best wishes for good health and safety to all elders. I would also remind that our Government is committed to ensuring the protection, mental wellbeing, and health of our senior citizens, while creating a respectful and dignified social environment for them.

The Government recognizes its responsibility not only to strengthen the economic security of elders, but also to support the children and institutions that care for them, while ensuring proper protection for those elderly who require care.

We dedicate ourselves to building a prosperous country and a beautiful life, where children enjoy a complete childhood and elders live a life of dignity.

Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
Prime Minister
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
1st October 2025

H.E. Katharina Wieser, Ambassador of Austria to Sri Lanka (resident in New Delhi), paid a farewell call on Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, at Temple Trees on September 30.

The Prime Minister thanked Ambassador Wieser for her service in advancing Sri Lanka–Austria relations and emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation, with particular attention to attracting Austrian investments in sustainable energy and technology. She also briefed the Ambassador on Sri Lanka’s ongoing education reforms and identified areas where collaboration with Austria could add value.

Ambassador Wieser commended the new Government’s efforts to guide the country’s recovery and shared insights on strengths of Austria’s education system. The Prime Minister extended an invitation for a high-level Austrian delegation to visit Sri Lanka to further explore opportunities for cooperation.

Representing Sri Lanka at the meeting were Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister; Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister; Mr. Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director-General, Europe & North America Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ms. Kaumadie Wijesinghe, Assistant Director, Europe & North America Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Prime Minister’s Media Division