All Sri Lankan citizens should be able to access services in their mother tongue – PM Harini

National policies must be implemented in a way that every Sri Lankan citizen can access essential services in their respective mother tongues as well as in sign language, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has emphasised.

She also called on all factions to strive to create a space where language does not create division, but a medium that unites all individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya made these remarks while participating in the closing ceremony of the National Languages Week “Path to Reconciliation”, which was organized by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration.

The National Languages Week, held under the theme “Talk Together – Live Together”, commenced on July 01, marking the National Languages Day, and continued for seven days and the closing ceremony was held with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harsha Nanayakkara.

Delivering further remarks at the event, the Prime Minister stated:

National Languages Week is not just a time to focus on and acknowledge language policy but also it highlights the critical role of the language that fosters identity, respect, and in building a peaceful society that brings all people together.

If certain communities feel that they do not have the opportunity to communicate in their own language at crucial institutions like courts, police stations, schools, state institutions, or administrative offices, then this is not merely an issue of service delivery. In such circumstances, people may genuinely begin to feel that they are excluded. Therefore, it is essential to ensure equal linguistic rights and dignity for all ethnic groups.

Therefore, we must create schools where Sinhala and Tamil students can learn each other’s languages, hospitals where patients can express their symptoms in the language they feel most comfortable in and receive respectful care, and a justice system where citizens can seek justice in a language they understand.

These are not luxury privileges but fundamental conditions that should practically exist in a society rooted in harmony.

Accordingly, the new educational reforms beginning in 2026 will incorporate teaching methods that emphasize the importance of all languages in the country and highlight language as something beyond just a subject. That is why such reforms have been introduced.