Two Palestine Heads of State conferred 'Sri Lanka Mithra Vibhushana'
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has conferred the 'Sri Lanka Mithra Vibhushana' National Honour on President of the State of Palestine Dr Mahmoud Abbas and former President of the State of Palestine Yasser Arafat.
This will be conferred on Heads of States and Heads of Government with which Sri Lanka has friendly relations in appreciation of their friendship towards and solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka.
Gazettes formalizing the award of the two titles were published last night. The President Rajapaksa will personally award this Honour at a ceremony to be held in the State of Palastine today (6).
The Palestine leader Yasser Arafat visited Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Rajapaksa who was then Minister of Labor and President of the Sri Lanka Palestine Friendship Association. The President held this position for 25 years.
The Award will comprise of a citation and a Silver Medal studded and adorned with nine kinds of Sri Lanka gems (Nawaratna) with the symbols of a Lotus, the globe, Sun, Moon and sheaves of rice.
The Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana National Honour was introduced by President Rajapaksa in February 2008.
The names of persons who receive the award are contained in a register maintained under the direction of the President for the recipient of National Honours granted by Sri Lanka. “The ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ Honour will take precedence over the National Honours awarded to non-Sri Lankans…,” the gazette notification says.
This Honour will be awarded in addition to the National Honours awarded to non-Sri Lankans in terms of Gazette Extraordinary No. 627/8 of 12.09.1990. The “Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana” Honour will take precedence over the National Honours awarded to non-Sri Lankans as per the said Gazette Notification.
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Country: Sri Lanka
Subject: Education and culture, International presence
Publication Date: 06/01/2014