on the occasion of the Ceremonial Inauguration of EDEX Mid- Year Expo 2019
2019/9/8
Ambassador's Speech
Mr. Mahinda Galagedera , Chairman, EDEX
Mr. B.A. Abeyrathna, Principal, Royal College
Honorable Members of EDEX
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
It gives me great pleasure to say a few words on this ceremonial inauguration of EDEX Mid-Year Expo 2019. First of all, let me express my heartfelt congratulations to the honorable members of EDEX for successfully organizing this seminal event, which reflects the members’ strong passion to serve for the good cause of students and youths of Sri Lanka.
Amongst many values that Sri Lanka and Japan share closely, I believe that “education” may rank at one of the topmost positions, which is essential in developing national and individual characters as well. In “an Encouragement of Learning”, written by Yukichi Fukuzawa, one of the leading founders of modern Japan, there is a famous line which shaped Japan as you find her today: “Heaven does not create one man above or below another man. Any distinction between the wise and the fool, between the rich and the poor, come down to a matter of education.” Likewise, in Sri Lanka, Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, “Father of Free Education”, laid the vital framework for “absolute free education to every single child” at the very dawn of the independence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
EDEX’s higher education exhibition and job fair correspond to promoting such fundamental value in the present context. Since its launching in 2004, EDEX has been providing excellent opportunities to connect aspiring Sri Lankan youth to the universities and relevant educational institutes in many countries, including Japan, while concurrently presenting wide-ranging employment opportunities to prospective job seekers. I am pleased to note that Japanese University Pavilion has been keeping the highest participation at EDEX over the last three years and serving as a major driving force in attracting competent Sri Lankan students to study in Japan. Indeed, the number of Sri Lankan students enrolling in the Japanese educational institutes is increasing rapidly, exceeding 8,000 in 2018. While this upward trend is encouraging, there, however, is a growing need to provide correct information to the Sri Lankan students on studying in Japan, for which, EDEX, yet again, furnishes us with a valuable platform to address such urgency.
Royal College Union’s initiative in launching EDEX was truly foresightful, which has opened the avenues for Sri Lankan youth to acquire globally competitive skills and competencies. Again, I commend strong initiative being carried out by the members of EDEX to work for the good cause of young people of this island nation, and would like to assure that Japan will continue to associate closely with EDEX in the years to come, while keeping in mind the shared traditional value both countries place on education.
On this note, I would like to thank EDEX for inviting me at this auspicious ceremonial inauguration today, and warmly wish EDEX Mid-Year Expo 2019 a great success.
Thank you very much.
Mr. B.A. Abeyrathna, Principal, Royal College
Honorable Members of EDEX
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
It gives me great pleasure to say a few words on this ceremonial inauguration of EDEX Mid-Year Expo 2019. First of all, let me express my heartfelt congratulations to the honorable members of EDEX for successfully organizing this seminal event, which reflects the members’ strong passion to serve for the good cause of students and youths of Sri Lanka.
Amongst many values that Sri Lanka and Japan share closely, I believe that “education” may rank at one of the topmost positions, which is essential in developing national and individual characters as well. In “an Encouragement of Learning”, written by Yukichi Fukuzawa, one of the leading founders of modern Japan, there is a famous line which shaped Japan as you find her today: “Heaven does not create one man above or below another man. Any distinction between the wise and the fool, between the rich and the poor, come down to a matter of education.” Likewise, in Sri Lanka, Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, “Father of Free Education”, laid the vital framework for “absolute free education to every single child” at the very dawn of the independence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
EDEX’s higher education exhibition and job fair correspond to promoting such fundamental value in the present context. Since its launching in 2004, EDEX has been providing excellent opportunities to connect aspiring Sri Lankan youth to the universities and relevant educational institutes in many countries, including Japan, while concurrently presenting wide-ranging employment opportunities to prospective job seekers. I am pleased to note that Japanese University Pavilion has been keeping the highest participation at EDEX over the last three years and serving as a major driving force in attracting competent Sri Lankan students to study in Japan. Indeed, the number of Sri Lankan students enrolling in the Japanese educational institutes is increasing rapidly, exceeding 8,000 in 2018. While this upward trend is encouraging, there, however, is a growing need to provide correct information to the Sri Lankan students on studying in Japan, for which, EDEX, yet again, furnishes us with a valuable platform to address such urgency.
Royal College Union’s initiative in launching EDEX was truly foresightful, which has opened the avenues for Sri Lankan youth to acquire globally competitive skills and competencies. Again, I commend strong initiative being carried out by the members of EDEX to work for the good cause of young people of this island nation, and would like to assure that Japan will continue to associate closely with EDEX in the years to come, while keeping in mind the shared traditional value both countries place on education.
On this note, I would like to thank EDEX for inviting me at this auspicious ceremonial inauguration today, and warmly wish EDEX Mid-Year Expo 2019 a great success.
Thank you very much.