Sri Lankans in Qatar mark 76th Independence Anniversary 

NT Bureau

Doha: The Sri Lankan community in Qatar celebrated their country’s 76th Anniversary of Independence at a function held at Westin Hotel in Doha.

Qatar’s Minister of Labour H E Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri and Director of Department of Protocol,    Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, attended the function.

Addressing the gathering, M Mafaz Mohideen, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Qatar, said that this year’s celebrations take place under the theme of “Let’s Build a New Country”, emphasising the desire to create a prosperous Sri Lanka.

“Back home, 2023 posed a significant challenge. Following the unprecedented socio-economic crisis experienced in 2022, the country is back on its feet relying on the resilience of its people. To capitalise on this moment and transform challenges into opportunities, my government is embarking on an extensive reforms programme across multiple sectors,” he said.

The ambassador said Sr Lanka’s relations with Qatar have flourished across several sectors. 

“Over a period of five decades, our bilateral relations with Qatar have flourished across various sectors, and cemented by a number of high-level exchanges and visits. These exchanges have  set the tone for a multifaceted and strong bilateral framework with several Agreements/MoUs enacted,” Mafaz Mohideen added.

Cultural programmes were held as part of the celebrations.