Lankan Buddhist temple to be set up in Myanmar

The Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy entered into an agreement on Saturday with Myanmar's Swedagon Viharaya to set up the first Sri Lankan temple in Myanmar.

Foreign Affairs Director of the Sri Dalada Maligawa Gamini Bandara and Chairman of Swedagon Trust Board Maya Theen signed the agreement on behalf of the two temples at the Auditorium of Swedagon Viharaya.

Speaking at the signing in ceremony, Sri Lankan Ambassador in Myanmar Newton Gunaratne said the two countries have close religious ties for centuries. "Sri Lanka made several attempts to set up a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple on Myanmar soil without success," he said.

The setting up of a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in Myanmar became a reality with the official visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Myanmar last year, he said.