In a gesture of solidarity and support, the Government of Sri Lanka has donated USD 1 million to assist children impacted by the conflicts in the Gaza Strip. The donation was formally transferred to the Government of Palestine through the United Nations’ official channel, overseen by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat on the morning of April 1st.
The President’s Media Division (PMD) issued a statement detailing the proceedings, mentioning that President Ranil Wickremesinghe personally presented the donation cheque to Mr. Zuhair M.H. Zaid, the Palestinian Ambassador in Sri Lanka.
This significant contribution supplements the ongoing support for the Children of Gaza Fund, an initiative spearheaded by President Ranil Wickremesinghe aimed at providing aid to affected children in the Gaza Strip.
Responding to the President’s call to allocate funds from ministries and government institutions for this humanitarian cause, the initial USD 1 million donation to the fund has been promptly transferred to the Palestinian government in the first phase, as confirmed by the PMD.
Furthermore, in response to the President’s appeal to bolster the “Children of Gaza Fund,” over Rs. 20 million has been contributed. These funds are slated to be formally transferred to the Palestinian government in the upcoming days.
Donors are urged to participate in this noble initiative before the deadline of April 30, 2024. Contributions can be made by depositing donations to the Bank of Ceylon (Account number: 7040016), Taprobane Branch (Branch code: 747), before the aforementioned date. Donors are requested to submit the relevant deposit receipt via WhatsApp to 077-9730396, as directed by the President’s Office.
The ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat today witnessed the handover of the cheque and was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry PC, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ms. Aruni Wijewardena, and a delegation of senior officials from the Palestinian Embassy in Sri Lanka, as mentioned in the statement.
