The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) joins all Buddhists in Sri Lanka and across the world in celebrating the hallowed day of Vesak which falls on 12 May 2025.
On this day, the LKI also honours the memory of the Late Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar who spearheaded the initiative to designate Vesak as a United Nations Observance Day, and to acknowledge the contribution of Buddhism to human spirituality. The late Minister made this proposal at the 54th session of the UN General Assembly in 1999. His proposal to the UN was based on an earlier recommendation made at the World Buddhist Conference held in Colombo in 1998. Accordingly, in 1999, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution 54/115.
Earlier this month, on 6 May 2025, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake delivering the keynote address at the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, held under the theme Solidarity and Tolerance for Human Dignity: Buddhist Wisdom for World Peace and Sustainable Development, highlighted the enduring relevance of Buddhist philosophy in fostering global peace and reconciliation.
The Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture was delivered on 3 February 2023 by Hon. Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh at a ceremony held at the Jasmine Hall of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Vijitha Herath addressed the Colombo-based Diplomatic Corps at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 14 October 2024. The Minister updated the diplomats on the recent actions taken by the government and outlined future plans during this interactive session.
The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute (LKI) hosted a panel discussion 'Sri Lanka as a Destination: From Antiquity to Modernity' as part of its outreach activities to promote ‘Cultural Diplomacy’ in Koggala on Saturday (13 January 2023). Held with the Indian Ocean as the backdrop at the Long Beach Hotel, Koggala, this interactive discussion was organized as part of ‘Rhythms of Paradise’ - the cultural spectacle of ‘Galle Concerto 2024’, with the aim of promoting the Southern coastline of Sri Lanka as a tourist destination, and in celebration of Sri Lanka’s timeless cultural and natural heritage.
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A think tank engaging in independent research of Sri Lanka’s international relations and strategic interests, to provide insights and recommendations that advance justice, peace, prosperity, and sustainability.
