Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena saying that to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to bring victory to the country and the nation invited all citizens including professionals, intellectuals political leaders, school children, businessmen and all representing private and state sector to make the program a success.
He made this invitation at a function held at the BMICH on Monday (06) to present the National Sustainable Development Vision and to launch the National Sustainability Discourse, a nonpolitical, unbiased, scientific approach to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030.
The draft of the National Sustainable Discourse was presented to the President by Prof. Mohan Munasinghe, the Chief of Expert Committee on National Sustainable Development.
The National Sustainable Discourse will be implemented promptly in all provinces to obtain every stakeholder’s views on SDGs to create a long term national development plan for Sri Lanka with the participation of whole society.
It will provide the opportunity for the public to directly participate in the dialogue as well as to identify the problems in reaching the SDGs.
The main goal is to drawn up a plan to determine the long-term economic, social and environmental goals of the country over the next 12 years reflecting Sri Lanka’s capabilities. It is targeted to engage young people, academics and professionals in this discourse. After the discussion, the feedback will be used to update the report.
The President also launched the website for the National Sustainable Discourse at www.nsd.lk. It is also possible to engage in a national sustainable dialogue through mobile phone inputs.
Addressing the gathering, President Sirisena presented two special proposals to the National Sustainable Discourse to obtain all stakeholders’ ideas and suggestions on resolving the human -elephant conflict and preventing the destruction of more than 32 percent of country’s food crops by wild animals.
The President said while various allegations and criticisms have been around for some time the government has not been able to find a solution to these issues despite implementing various programs to address the nagging issues.
He invited those who are raising allegations and criticisms to forward their proposals without party differences and petty politics and said if necessary they can personally meet him to discuss these issues.
He also said while welcoming the positive criticism and debate of the National Sustainable Discourse the need is to come up with solutions and suggestions that can be implemented and the participation.
While expressing his views on the current development program, the President spoke about the need for the expatriate Sri Lankan engineers from all over the world to come to their motherland to help the project implemented to restore 2400 tanks in parallel to the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Maha irrigation project.
The President also made an open invitation to engineers who are waiting to leave for overseas to remain in the country for few years more to fulfill their duties for the country.
The President also symbolically handed over copies of the draft National Sustainable Discourse to few children representing the school children.
Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, former Prime Minister DM Jayaratne, Secretary to the President Secretary to the President Udaya R. Seneviratne, State officials, ambassadors and overseas representatives were also present at the event.
