Sri Lanka's President calls for unity to build affluent nation

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday (May 5) called on Sri Lankans facing "troubled times" due to the unprecedented economic crisis to unite to rebuild an affluent nation.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday (May 5) called on Sri Lankans facing "troubled times" due to the unprecedented economic crisis to unite to rebuild an affluent nation.

In his message on the occasion of Vesak Poya Day, Wickremesinghe, also the cash-strapped country's finance minister, said the timeless philosophy of the Buddha becomes a source of solace.

Vesak Poya Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Buddha. The three events in his life are said to have happened on the same date.