Sri Lankan troops serving UN Peace Keeping Mission (MINUSTAH) in Haiti commemorated the National Independence Day in a fitting ceremony on February 4 at their office premises in Leogane.
Colonel M.M Kithsiri, Commanding Officer of the Sri Lankan Battalion (SRIBAT) during the event raised the national flag and sang the national anthem, together with all officers and other ranks.
The SRIBAT Commanding Officer after the main ceremony planted a few tree saplings in the camp premises before joining an all rank tea party.
Later on, the SRIBAT launched a tree planting drive in Leogane area after distributing tree saplings among Haitians. In addition, the troops visited a children’s home in Leogane and gave away a stock of desks, chairs and educational accessories to children to coincide with the National Independence Day. Those children were entertained to lunch and provided with gifts afterwards.
Later on the day, a Sri Lankan cultural show was staged after inviting foreign diplomats and UN officials to the venue. Ves dancing, Salupaliya, Wadigapatuna and rhythmic drum beats of the Sri Lankan origin coloured the evening.
A video copy of the proper National Independence Day at Trincomalee was also screened during the cultural show.
A Bodhi Pooja at the temple inside the SRIBAT camp brought the day’s events to an end.
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