President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has urged religious leaders, including the Maha Sangha, to extend their support to the national program aimed at eradicating the drug menace from Sri Lanka.

The President emphasised that this initiative requires the cooperation of all communities, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation.

The Head of State made these remarks while attending a ceremony held today (02) at the Peliyagoda Vidyalankara International Buddhist Conference Hall, marking 150 years since the establishment of the Peliyagoda Vidyalankara Pirivena.

Addressing the event, the President stated:

“We are going to bring this fight against drugs to an end. These drugs have spread into areas we never even imagined. There can be different political opinions or ideologies regarding this issue — but everyone must come together to stop this menace.

The historic bond between the village and the temple cannot be broken. When we make a mistake, we still go to the temple in our village for guidance. There exists a deep spiritual and historical connection between the village and the temple.

The role of the Buddhist monk is something society needs once again. Whenever the nation faced a crisis, the monks have always stepped forward for the country, the nation, and the well-being of the people.

The venerable monks worked tirelessly, even going from house to house and village to village, to guide the people. To restore our country once more, the active involvement of such monks is essential. Therefore, I invite the Maha Sangha to take part in this noble mission.”

The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Sarvajana Balaya Parliamentarian Dilith Jayaweera, former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena as well as many other political figures and participants from various sectors.