Prime Minister Harini’s Thai Pongal Message

16-Jan-2026

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya called upon all citizens to unite during this Thai Pongal festival and reaffirm their commitment to building a new Sri Lanka founded on harmony, mutual respect, and the protection of religious and cultural rights.

Issuing her Thai Pongal message, she further stated:

I extend my heartfelt wishes to all Sri Lankan Tamils and Tamils across the world who celebrate the Thai Pongal festival, a symbol of gratitude for labor and nature.

This festival illustrates how deeply human life is intertwined with nature. We are all creations of nature, and no journey can be undertaken in defiance of it. Repaying the blessings bestowed upon us by nature is among the highest human virtues.

As a nation, we stand today at the threshold of a decisive transformation. Through policy and structural reforms, and by fostering changes in mindset, we bear a collective responsibility to lead the country toward a renaissance era. Despite numerous challenges, this government has accepted that responsibility and commenced a new year dedicated to national progress.

Just as one can eat rice only because a farmer steps into the mud, our committed journey toward national prosperity resembles the cultivation of a valuable crop. At this moment, the Thai Pongal festival, which honors nature and expresses gratitude, guides us in shaping citizens grounded in rich cultural values.

She concluded by wishing that all prayers of the Tamil people celebrating Thai Pongal would be fulfilled, and that this new journey would bring happiness and prosperity to all.