New Batticaloa Public Library Opened Under Presidential Patronage

COLOMBO (News 1st); The new Public Library Building of the Batticaloa Municipal Council was ceremonially vested in the public this morning (20) in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with former Member of Parliament M.A. Sumanthiran officially declaring the building open.

In parallel with the opening ceremony, the official website of the library was also launched by the President.

Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of the project, noting that it had previously remained stalled midway.

A key feature of the newly opened library is a dedicated unit designed to provide children with scientific and technological knowledge.

The President further observed that at a time when the culture of reading is gradually declining in the country, the continued enthusiasm for reading among the Tamil community is commendable. He stated that opening a library is akin to removing the need for a prison, expressing confidence that the new facility would help sustain and promote reading habits among the Tamil population.

Following the opening, the President toured the library premises and held a cordial discussion with staff of the Municipal Council. During the event, Batticaloa Municipal Council Mayor K. Sivam Packiyanathan presented a commemorative memento to the President.

Marking the occasion, President Dissanayake also planted a sapling within the library grounds.