Sri Lanka, April 14 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his Sinhala and Tamil New Year message, calls for renewal both physically and spiritually, highlighting that the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is the foremost cultural festival of the people of this country.

The President noted that during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, traditional customs are upheld, with priority accorded to rituals and religious observances, and activities undertaken collectively at a common auspicious time.

This shared cultural practice reflects our nation's identity before the world and the strong socio-cultural bonds among communities, he said.

He states that national development must be shaped in harmony with cultural heritage and historical values, and...