The celebrations to mark the 68th Independence Day of Sri Lanka in Moscow commenced with the unfurling of the national flag by H.E. Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, and the singing of the National Anthem.

The Ambassador thereafter read out the Address to the Nation by the Hon'ble President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, and then briefly addressed the gathering. At his speech, Ambassador Dr. Weerasinghe invited the Sri Lankan community to actively participate development in Sri Lanka.

About 100 persons comprising almost the entire Sri Lankan community attended the flag hoisting ceremony. Religious representatives including Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu and Christian, are also participated this ceremony. Ceremony conducted in both Sinhala and Tamil languages.