I am pleased to send this message for the national observance of World Children’s Day.

Children are the future of every country, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are guided properly to enable them to become healthy and productive citizens.

Foremost among this effort was securing a safe and peaceful nation, which so many of our generations were denied. We must now work towards ensuring that every single child in Sri Lanka has access to the basic rights.

Towards this end, the Government is committed to ensuring all children enjoy safety at home and at school, have access to proper nutrition and healthcare, and a right to free education. As a country, we should also be able to offer every girl and boy a hope for their futures by offering opportunities to live fulfilling lives.

Raising a child to become a productive individual is the collective task of society that includes not only the family and the Government, but also schools, teachers, religious mentors and communities. I believe the mutual cultural, social and moral values that all communities of Sri Lanka share will allow us to come together to build a safe and prosperous nation for our children.

Mahinda Rajapaksa
Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka