|
Akashi back, off to Jaffna
Japanese
Special Peace Envoy Yasushi Akashi is expected to travel to Jaffna
early morning today where he will take part in a two day inter religious
summit. The summit is scheduled to begin today.
A spokesman for the National Peace Council, which is organising
the event, said that Akashi, who was scheduled to arrive at 11 p.m.
yesterday, would fly to Jaffna at 5.00 a.m. today.
Senior religious leaders from seven countries are scheduled to participate
at the Jaffna summit, which will be held at the Public Library Auditorium
today and tomorrow.
The
summit delegates will discuss ways for Sri Lanka to settle the ongoing
violent conflict by peaceful means.
The Japanese envoy is scheduled to deliver a special address at
the summit.
Meanwhile, Akashi is also scheduled to address the media on Friday
where he will touch on the escalation of hostilities between the
government and the LTTE. The religious dignitaries scheduled to
participate at the summit includes: Great Supreme Patriarch Kingdom
of Cambodia His Holiness Tep Vong, Ela Gandhi, grand daughter of
Mahatma Gandhi, Moderator Asian Conference of Religions for Peace
of Pakistan Mir Nawaz Khan Marwat, President, Rissho Kosei-kai Gakurin
Seminary Rev. Dr. Michio T. Shinozaki, Former Director General Secretariat
Rissho Kosei-kai in Japan and Secretary General World Conference
of Religions for Peace based in New York Dr. William F. Vendley.
Sri
Lankan religious leaders who will attend the event will comprise,
Anunayaka Amarapura Nikaya Ven. Kotugoda Dammawasa Thera, Chancellor
of Sri Jayawardenapura University Ven. Professor Belanwila Wimalarathana
, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Japan and President of Maha Bodhi Society
of Sri Lanka Ven. Barnagala Upatissa, Chief Incumbent, Abayarama
Vihara Ven. Murttetuwe Ananda Thero, Deputy Sanga Nayaka of Sri
Lanka Mahabodhi Society Most Venerable Thinawela Palith Thero,
Head of the Adheenam, Nallur, Kurukal Karthikeja Santhirasegara
Sarma, International Secretary, Hindu Priest Organisation Sri Ganasambantha
Paramacharya Swami Somasundara, Bishop of Jaffna Vianney Fernando,
Bishop of Kandy and President Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of Sri Lanka, BishopThomas Savundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna, Bishop
Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar, Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe, Bishop
of Kurunegala, Church of Ceylon, Moulavi Alhaj Niyas Muhammad, Chief
of Ihsaniyya Arabic College, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Rizwi, President
All Ceylon Jamiyatul Ulama Association, Colombo, and Chief of Ihsaniyya
Arabic College Al Haj Niyas Muhammad.
|
