'Buddhabhivandana' Vesak Bhakthi Geetha programme

The 'Buddhabhivandana' Vesak Bhakthi Geetha programme organised by the Mass Media and Information Ministry and its affiliated institutions will be held at the premises opposite the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre Colombo on May 5 at 6.30 pm and on May 6 at 7.30 pm.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the chief guest. Mass Media and Information Acting Minister and Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge, Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Mass Media and Information Ministry Secretary W B Ganegala will be among the other Ministers and state officials present.

Bhakthi Geetha troupes of the Presidential Secretariat, Media Ministry, Information Department, Govenrment Press, ANCL, SLBC, ITN, State Printing Corporation, Television Training Institute Selacine, Lankapuvath and the Sri Lanka Press Council will add colour to the programme by rendering Vesak Bhakthi Geetha alongside veteran artistes, Prof Sanath Nandasiri, Prof Amara Ranatunge, Dr Victor Ratnayake, Dr Dayaratne Ranatunge, Visharada Edward Jayakody, Sunil Edirisinghe, Somatillake Jayamaha, Ishaq Baig, Janaka Wickremasinghe, Visharada Charitha Priyadarshanee Pieris, Visharada Pradeepa Dharmadasa and Visharada Mangalika Tennakoon. Music will be by the SLBC Band, Dinesh Bogoda and Rohana Dharmakeerthi, the programme is co-ordinated by Saman Dissanayake of the Presidential Secretariat in collaboration with Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre's CEO N Newunhella and his staff.