On January 18, 2019 Ambassador H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka and Madame Sanja Jayatilleka attended the reception hosted by Cuban Diplomatic Mission on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.

The crowded reception was addressed by Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and attended by Dr. Konstantin Kosachev, the Chairman of International Affairs Committee of the Russian Senate and many prominent political figures and military officials of Russian State authorities and Heads of foreign Missions to Russia.
Cuban Ambassador Gerardo Penalver Portal's speech underlined the importance of the impact of the Revolution, the unity of the Cuban nation with regard to the revolutionary ideas, and that the new generation of Cubans continues the heritage of the Cuban heroes. He said that "Cubans build bridges and not walls. They are for peace and not for war." The Cuban Ambassador spoke about the solidarity and support of Russia in the approach to the questions of economic, trade and financial blockade introduced by the USA towards Cuba. He said that Cuba's new Constitution guarantees the project of "modern, democratic, socialism".
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Ryabkov extended the cordial greeting from the Russian Federation to the nation and government of Cuba and spoke of decades long and strong ties between Russia and Cuba. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister hailed the leadership of Fidel, Raul, Che and Camilo, and concluded his speech with a rousing exclamation of Che Guevara's famous slogan "Hasta la Victoria Siempre!"("Ever Onward to Victory!")
Ambassador Jayatilleka and Madame Sanja Jayatilleka congratulated Ambassador Gerardo Penalver Portal and his spouse Madame Martha Garcia Hernandes, who is also a diplomat, on the 60th birthday of the Revolution.
Ambassador Jayatilleka and Madame Sanja Jayatilleka exchanged warm greetings with the Heads of Mission of China, India, Nicaragua, Mexico, South Africa, and Uruguay, whom Ambassador Jayatilleka had paid courtesy calls on recently. They also had a brief conversation with Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, who is in charge of the bilateral relations with North America and South America, non-proliferation and arms control, Iran's nuclear programme and Russia's participation in the BRICS association, and with Senator Konstantin Kosachev, Chair of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian Senate.