Sri Lanka President says cultural heritage is key to sustainable national development
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that physical development alone is not enough to build a nation, stressing that lasting progress must be based on the country’s culture, values and historical heritage.
The President said no country can achieve sustainable development without maintaining strong ties to its cultural identity. He noted that many nations have achieved prosperity by building on their own cultural foundations and said such values are also essential for promoting unity, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among different communities.
He made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo yesterday (July 30) to review projects funded under the 2026 Budget for the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and to consider proposals for the 2027 Budget.
The meeting reviewed projects under the Ministry’s three main sectors: Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs, Cultural Affairs, and National Heritage. These projects are being implemented with recurrent expenditure of Rs. 9,535.45 million and capital expenditure of Rs. 5,401.40 million. Officials also discussed the Ministry’s proposals for the 2027 Budget.
Progress was reviewed on projects funded through a Rs. 601 million allocation for developing infrastructure at rural places of worship. These include the construction of alms halls at Buddhist temples, improvements to water supply facilities, the development of Daham Pasal serving Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim communities, and the reconstruction of places of worship damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.
The meeting also discussed land-related issues affecting the Indian-assisted project to provide solar power systems to religious institutions. President Dissanayake instructed officials to identify and resolve all outstanding issues to ensure the project is successfully implemented.
Officials also reviewed projects in the Cultural Affairs Sector being carried out under a Rs. 521 million allocation. Updates were presented on the construction of the Amaradeva Asapuwa, the installation of a mobile shelving system at the Department of National Archives, and the progress of its digitisation project.
Highlighting the importance of preserving Sri Lanka’s heritage for future generations, the President called for the digitisation of the National Museum and the Department of National Archives to be accelerated. He also said museums should become interactive learning spaces where visitors can experience history through modern technology instead of relying only on traditional displays of artefacts.
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hinduma Sunil Senevi said the government plans to resolve issues affecting several major projects that began between 2018 and 2019 but were later neglected. These include the renovation of the National Art Gallery, the John de Silva Memorial Theatre and the Amaradeva Asapuwa.
The President instructed officials to complete the renovation of the National Art Gallery before the end of this year, while addressing delays caused by poor construction work and other irregularities.
The meeting also reviewed the renovation of the National Library building and ongoing programmes and future development plans of the Arts Council and the National Film Corporation.
President Dissanayake also expressed concern over long-standing weaknesses and irregularities in the management of properties administered by the Department of the Public Trustee. He instructed officials to amend the relevant laws, review trusts that are unprofitable or ineffective, and introduce a new legal framework to improve governance and prevent the misuse of public assets.
Noting that several institutions under the Ministry perform overlapping functions, the President directed officials to prepare proposals to merge such institutions to improve efficiency and eliminate duplication.
The meeting also discussed establishing a new fund from 2027 to support contemporary art and artists. President Dissanayake said the initiative should be implemented using a scientific and evidence-based approach to promote artistic excellence and provide sustainable support for artists.
The discussion was attended by Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hinduma Sunil Senevi, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Gamagedara Dissanayake, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Prince Senadheera, and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, and its affiliated institutions.
