The 'Defence Seminar -2014'organized by the Sri Lanka Army began at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo today morning (18th August). This is the fourth in a series of annual international defence seminars to be held in Colombo since 2011.
Minister of External Affairs Prof. GL Peiris attended as the chief guest. Secretary Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the conceptual architect of this prestigious international forum attended as a guest of honour.
This year the conference is held under the theme, 'Sri Lanka: Challenges to a Rising Nation'. The three day discourse will see delegates discuss on thematical issues on the Challenges to a rising Nation, Ascention of Sri Lanka, Economy, National Security, Regional and Global Challenges.
Secretary to the Treasury and Secretary to Ministry of Finance and Planning Dr P.B Jayasundera made the keynote address at the inaugural session. In his speech he explained in detail how the post independent events pushed this nation towards becoming a marginalized nation by 2004, and the underlying strategic shift in 2005 through the adaptation of 'Mahinda Chintanaya': the National Vision of Sri Lanka. He also gave an overview of the current phase of development in a globally challenging environment and outlined how the challenges in the transition were managed shifting from confrontation to consensus building and how graduation from a low income to middle income economy was managed.
More than 350 delegates from over 55 countries, including scholars, think tanks, diplomats are taking part in this three day conclave. Eminent speakers including Dr. Subramanian Swamy, Member of Parliament and President of the Janatha Party of Indian, Ms Mariam Safi, Founding Director, Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies (Afghanistan), Ambassador (Retd) Arif Ayub, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad (Pakistan), Mr Patryk Kugiel, Analyst at the International Economic Relations and Global Issues Programme at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (Poland), Prof. Rwekaza S Mukandala, President of the African Association of Political Science (Tanzania), Dr. Tang Siew Mun, Director, Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Malaysia), Dr. Wang Weihua, Assistant Director, Institute for Foreign Policy Studies (China) and Dr. Yeo Lay Hwee, Director of the European Union Centre in Singapore (Singapore), are scheduled to submit their presentations during the sessions.
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