Colombo: The inaugural ceremony for the distribution of mobile library vehicles to ten selected local government authorities in the Western Province, under the ‘Arunu Dora’ National Reading Promotion Programme implemented in parallel with the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ National Programme, was held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat.
According to News.LK, under the first phase of the project, ten mobile library vehicles equipped with modern facilities, along with 9,300 books, were distributed to the Kesbewa and Seethawakapura Municipal Councils and to the Homagama, Dompe, Attanagalla, Minuwangoda, Wattala, Bulathsinhala, Walallawita, and Palindanuwara Pradeshiya Sabhas. The project was implemented under the Department of Local Government of the Western Provincial Council with funding provided by the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat. The ‘Arunu Dora’ National Reading Promotion Programme aims to foster a reading culture at the grassroots level and build a knowledge-based Sri Lanka.
At the event, veteran writer Mahinda Prasad Masimbula highlighted the importance of building a new society through proper social understanding, noting that taking books from village to village to cultivate a love for reading among the public is a meaningful experience. He emphasized that the programme launched under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative is a valuable cultural process that could help revive a strong culture of reading in the country.
The Governor of the Western Province, Hanif Yusoof, shared personal reflections on the importance of reading, recalling how he carried only two books when fleeing the violence of Black July in 1983. He praised the Clean Sri Lanka Programme for its dual focus on environmental and mental purification, highlighting its significance for future generations.
Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, underscored the critical importance of programmes like ‘Arunu Dora’ in building a disciplined and values-driven future generation. He called for collective support from stakeholders to elevate the initiative to a national level.
This mobile library service provides schoolchildren and rural communities with access to modern library facilities, with plans for future expansion across the island. The event was attended by distinguished guests, including the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and representatives from supporting institutions such as the Ministry of Education and the National Library and Documentation Services Board.