Dear colleagues,

The Permanent Missions of Thailand and Sri Lanka to the United Nations 

are pleased to invite you to the

Belated Commemoration of the International Day of Vesak 2020

in a virtual format

Thursday 2 July 2020

9.00 - 10.30 AM (NY time)

The updated programme and the technical note for participation are attached.  
Please note the REVISED Zoom LINK to access the event.  
We hope that you will be able to join us at this important event.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rome and the Consulate General Office in Milan have arranged facilities to cater to over 10,000 Sri Lankans who would seek consular assistance in the process of regularising their visa status under “Sanatoria 2020” special amnesty granted by the Italian Government with effect from 1 June to 15 July 2020, by providing essential consular services to the many Sri Lankan community members, to expedite the passport application process.

The attention of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Ottawa has been drawn to Media reports concerning the Private Member Bill 104 presented in 2019 to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

The High Commission and the Consulate General in Toronto continue engagement in this regard with both the Federal and Provincial Authorities. Sri Lanka’s firm protest against the blatantly false claims being made in the Bill including the grossly exaggerated number of casualties at the conclusion of the conflict in Sri Lanka and allegations of “genocide” have been conveyed. The authorities have also been urged to consider a balanced view and not to be swayed by prejudicial viewpoints propagated by certain anti-Sri Lanka activists in Canada.

It is observed that several Sri Lanka groups and individuals in Canada have also engaged the Canadian authorities against the misrepresentations in the politically motivated Private Member Bill.

Sri Lanka’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Dayani Mendis, in a letter addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has raised concerns regarding the allegations made in a press release issued by the High Commissioner on 03 June 2020 regarding “clampdown” of freedom of expression during COVID-19, in which a reference had been made to Sri Lanka.

The letter highlights that it has become essential for all countries and Governments to take measures to counter misinformation and disinformation in the interest of protecting public health, particularly during the
COVID-19 pandemic. These measures are also in line with the consensus resolution on COVID-19 response adopted on 18 May 2020 at the 73 World Health Assembly (WHA), which also, inter alia, calls on Member States to provide the population with reliable and comprehensive information on COVID-19 and take measures to counter misinformation and disinformation.