A delegation of Buddhists in Vietnam handed over a consignment of medicine to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees on May 11.
This donation was symbolically handed over to the Prime Minister by Most Venerable Thich Vien Minh, Vice Supreme Patriarch of the Council of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. Thereafter, the Prime Minister handed over this consignment of medicine worth US$ 20,000 to Secretary to the Health Ministry Janaka Chandraguptha.
Most Ven Thich Vien Minh said that Vietnamese Buddhists have a special respect for Sri Lanka as this country supported the long-drawn freedom struggle of Vietnam. Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy said Sri Lanka maintains a close relationship with Vietnam even before the country won freedom.
The Prime Minister said that people of Sri Lanka highly admired the great leadership of Ho Chi Minh, the leader of freedom struggle and the first President of the independent Vietnam and added that Sri Lanka was among the first few countries to establish diplomatic relations when Vietnam became free.
A group of leading Bhikkhus and Buddhist leaders from Vietnam, Parliamentarian Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Health Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and other officials were present.