The ‘International Day of Older Persons will be celebrated by HelpAge Sri Lanka (HASL) with Southern Provincial Council Social Welfare, Probation and Child Care Service (SPCSWPC) Department today, Oct. 8 in Ambalantota, under the patronage of Southern Provincial Council, Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva.
SPCSWPC Commissioner, Mahesh Ranjith Karunaratne, HelpAge and Executive Director Samantha Liyanawaduge will attend the ceremony which will commence at 9.am.
‘Stepping into the future, tapping the talents, contributions and participation of older persons in society’ is the theme of this year’s Elders’ Day.
The ‘Elders’ Walk’ is the significant feature of the day’s event. Over 600 elders over 60 years of age from many parts of the Hambantota district will take part in the walk commencing 8.30 am.
The elders will parade the streets from Nonagama Junction to the Nonagama Cultural Centre.
Liyanawaduge said the objective of holding the ‘Walk,’ an annual event, is to display the courage and strength of elders. He said, elderly citizens all over the world have a firm belief that the first day in the month of October belongs to them and many elders in the country are engaged in various activities to raise awareness on their social issues. They demand their rights and entitlements to live with dignity.
In addition to the Walk, elders will take part in fun-filled activities such as, singing, dancing and performing in dramas, to be conducted at the Cultural Centre Auditorium, Nonagama.
A.K