The Ministry of National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress and Hindu Religious Affairs has decided to declare July 1 of every year as the Official Languages Day starting from this year.
Simultaneously, the Ministry has nominated the period, July 1-5 as the ‘Official Languages Week’.
The ministry has organised several programs including, Official Languages School Day, Public Day and Youth Day.
The Official Languages Day program is funded by NLEAP of the government of Canada and co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office.
The Official Languages Week program targets public servants, the political leadership, the university community, youth, schools and foreign parties.
Subject Minister Mano Ganesan briefed the media last week on the preparations for Official Languages Week.
“Government offices throughout Sri Lanka have initiated a number of steps to ensure that anyone who goes to a government institution can meet his or her needs in his or her mother tongue,” he said.