The Award Ceremony of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays in memory of the Late Mr. Punchi Banda Munasinghe
2019/6/13
Ambassador's Speech
Mr Ravi Dhanushka Bandara Munashinghe, a beloved son of the late Mr. Punchi Banda Munasinghe,
Prominent members of JAGAAS,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening.
First of all, I would like to express my sincere apology for causing great inconvenience by having had to postpone today’s program, which was originally scheduled on April 24, due to the security situation prevailing the nation at that time. Despite this inconvenience and the short notice of invitation, I am grateful to see so many of the distinguished guests gathered this evening to commemorate the late Mr. Punchi Banda Munasinghe’s ever-lasting friendship with Japan, and to pay most sincere tribute to his great contribution to strengthening cordial relations between Sri Lanka and Japan.
At the beginning of the ceremony, I would like to request all the guests to kindly rise and offer one minute’s silent prayer to the late Mr. Munasinghe, who, to our great sorrow, passed away on October 2nd last year.
(After a silent prayer) Thank you very much.
Distinguished guests,
One of the enduring legacies of friendship that Mr. Munasinghe left for us is the establishment of JAGAAS, Japanese Graduates Alumni Association of Sri Lanka, which was founded in 1992, but the root of his initiative can be traced back much earlier to 1978 when he traveled to Japan to study at Keio University as a post-graduate student after winning a Japanese Government’s prestigious MONBUSHO Scholarship. His warm and deep affection for Japan and the Japanese people were nourished during this period, which spurred his aspirations to bring the two countries closer after his return to Sri Lanka in 1980.
As I stand in the presence of many valued friends this evening, who are also the members of JAGAAS, I can’t help renewing my respect for Mr. Munasinghe’s outstanding contribution to strengthening the foundation of our relationship.
Mr. Munasinghe was the Founder Secretary of JAGAAS and had served as the General Secretary for no less than 15 years. While overseeing the management of the Association, Mr. Munasinghe dedicated his heart and soul to the development of JAGAAS as a full-fledged organization. “Bon Odori Festival”, launched in 1993, to be sure, is one of the major reflections of his passion during this time.
After Mr. Munasinghe was promoted to the President of JAGAAS in 2007, he took further initiatives in organizing cultural and academic activities, including seminars introducing the Japanese-style managements, widely known as “5S” and “KAIZEN”. This seminar has also earned great recognition and has been held as an annual event of JAGAAS, providing valuable opportunities for closer interactions between the Sri Lankan and the Japanese business communities, while contributing to the promotion of economic relationship between the two countries. Mr. Munasinghe’s legacies will continue to survive, and it is our responsibility to inherit them firmly and pass them down to the new generations to come.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In recognition of Mr. Munasinghe’s long-standing service in promoting our bilateral relationship, the Government of Japan made an announcement of conferring “the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays” on Mr. Munasinghe on November 22nd last year. While deeply regretting Mr. Munasinghe’s absence, I take great pride and honour in presenting this prestigious decoration to Mr. Ravi Dhanushka Bandara Munashinghe, on behalf of his father.
"The Order of the Rising Sun" is a national decoration awarded by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, and has been a symbol of friendship and mutual trust between Sri Lanka and Japan for many years, by virtue of recognizing the Sri Lankan nationals of their tremendous contributions in promoting the bilateral relationship.
On May 1st, 2019, His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince acceded to the Throne and the new Japanese era of “Reiwa” has begun. While the literal meaning of “Reiwa” is “beautiful harmony”, it also contains the meaning of “culture coming into being and flourishing when people bring their hearts and minds together in a beautiful manner”. At the inception of a new era, and embracing the spirit of the new era with firm resolve, I wish to renew my sincere commitment to further strengthening the bond of friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan. I wish to call upon everyone’s participation and collaboration in this endeavor at this important juncture towards the new beginning.
On this note, and paying my sincere tribute once again, I wish to conclude my remarks in memory of the late Mr. Punchi Banda Munasinghe.
Thank you very much.