THE PRESS BRIEFING OF THE ‘73RD AIR FORCE ANNIVERSARY’ AND ‘AIR TATTOO AND EXHIBITION - 2024’
3:41pm on Wednesday 14th February 2024
The press briefing for the "73rd Air Force Anniversary" celebration and "Air Tattoo and Exhibition-2024" was held today (14 February 2024), chaired by the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa at the Air Force Headquarters in Sri Jayewardenepura.
The Sri Lanka Air Force will proudly celebrate its 73rd Anniversary on 02 March 2024.Upholding its rich tradition, the "AIR FORCE DAY" will be the premier event in its calendar. This year's celebrations will commence with a “Pichcha Mal Pooja” on the eve of March 1st at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, with the participation of the Commander and a cross-section of Officers, Other Ranks and Civilians. Additionally, arrangements have been made to hold Catholic, Islamic and Hindu religious ceremonies.
The formal Air Force Day celebrations will be held at SLAF Headquarters on 02nd March, with all SLAF establishments under the leadership of Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa.
Unlike the previous years, this year the SLAF has decided to celebrate the 73rd anniversary in the Northern Province, focusing on the future minds of the nation. This initiative, named “Wings of Friendship,” aims to promote quality education and environmental sustainability, aligned with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Under this initiative, several sub-projects have been planned for implementation in the Northern Province. This includes the development or renovation of 73 deserving schools in Jaffna, Kilinochichi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu, with an estimated total cost of 100 million rupees. Additionally, 73,000 books will be donated to schoolchildren under the programme “Magen Pothak Uthurata,” with an estimated cost of 25 million rupees. Another sub-project involves planting 73,000 saplings in the Northern Province.
The "Guwan Hamuda Papedi Sawariya -2024" will be conducted for the 25th consecutive year, in line with the 73rd Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force. Scheduled to start from Colombo on 03rd March and end at Jaffna on 07th March, the total distance covered by the Men's race is over 650 km, while the Women's race covers close to 100 km.
The amateur "Air Force Commander’s Cup Challenge Friendly Football Tournament-2024" commenced on 10 February 2024, at the Kilinochchi - Northern Province Sports Complex. Eleven sports clubs representing the Northern Province, registered under the Sri Lanka Football Federation, are competing in this tournament. The primary objective is to identify young talented footballers and bring them to the National Level.
The "Air Tattoo - 2024" educational and technical exhibition has been arranged to be held from 06th March to 10th March 2024, at Mutttraveli Stadium, Jaffna. State universities, private universities, a group of schools, as well as business institutions and technical institutions from the northern and southern provinces, will be participating in this exhibition. Students attending in school uniforms have been granted free entry.
The press briefing was attended by the Head of the Organizing Committee of Air Tattoo and Exhibition 2024, Air Vice Marshal Muditha Mahawattage, the Governor of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Yalpanam (CCIY), Mr. TY Sundearasan, the Executive Director of CCIY, Dr. VK Vignesh and the Director Media of the SLAF, Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe.
The formal Air Force Day celebrations will be held at SLAF Headquarters on 02nd March, with all SLAF establishments under the leadership of Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa.
Unlike the previous years, this year the SLAF has decided to celebrate the 73rd anniversary in the Northern Province, focusing on the future minds of the nation. This initiative, named “Wings of Friendship,” aims to promote quality education and environmental sustainability, aligned with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Under this initiative, several sub-projects have been planned for implementation in the Northern Province. This includes the development or renovation of 73 deserving schools in Jaffna, Kilinochichi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu, with an estimated total cost of 100 million rupees. Additionally, 73,000 books will be donated to schoolchildren under the programme “Magen Pothak Uthurata,” with an estimated cost of 25 million rupees. Another sub-project involves planting 73,000 saplings in the Northern Province.
The "Guwan Hamuda Papedi Sawariya -2024" will be conducted for the 25th consecutive year, in line with the 73rd Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force. Scheduled to start from Colombo on 03rd March and end at Jaffna on 07th March, the total distance covered by the Men's race is over 650 km, while the Women's race covers close to 100 km.
The amateur "Air Force Commander’s Cup Challenge Friendly Football Tournament-2024" commenced on 10 February 2024, at the Kilinochchi - Northern Province Sports Complex. Eleven sports clubs representing the Northern Province, registered under the Sri Lanka Football Federation, are competing in this tournament. The primary objective is to identify young talented footballers and bring them to the National Level.
The "Air Tattoo - 2024" educational and technical exhibition has been arranged to be held from 06th March to 10th March 2024, at Mutttraveli Stadium, Jaffna. State universities, private universities, a group of schools, as well as business institutions and technical institutions from the northern and southern provinces, will be participating in this exhibition. Students attending in school uniforms have been granted free entry.
The press briefing was attended by the Head of the Organizing Committee of Air Tattoo and Exhibition 2024, Air Vice Marshal Muditha Mahawattage, the Governor of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Yalpanam (CCIY), Mr. TY Sundearasan, the Executive Director of CCIY, Dr. VK Vignesh and the Director Media of the SLAF, Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe.
