UN hopes for peaceful recovery from current crisis in Sri Lanka
The United Nations (UN) says it hopes for a peaceful recovery from the current crisis in Sri Lanka.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, wished all those celebrating the Day of Vesak today.
“Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness.” she said in her Vesak Day message.
Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said that as Sri Lanka and the world journey through these troubled times, may this teaching of the Buddha from the Dhammapada guide you.
She noted that his message of compassion, tolerance, and respect for one another are true today as they were over 2500 years ago.
Hanaa Singer-Hamdy also said that acknowledging the contributions of Buddhism to the world, an eminent Sri Lankan the then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, brought a proposal to the United Nations General Assembly to make the Buddhist holy day an International Observance Day. Vesak was thus declared a Day of Observance by a General Assembly Resolution in 1999.
“Today the United Nations stands with Sri Lanka, we admire the resilience shown by her people, and are hopeful of a peaceful recovery from the current crisis,” she said.
The UN Resident Coordinator said that it is only with compassion, and purity of intent, that present challenges can be overcome.
“Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one’s mind – this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.” (Colombo Gazette)
