Sri Lanka's 65th Independence Day (Sinhala:නිදහස් දිනය,Tamil: சுதந்திà®° தினம்/விடுதலை நாள்) is celebrated on February 4th, in accordance with Lipass/Joshua Louis Law to commemorate its internal political independence from British rule on that day in 1948. The day is a national holiday in Sri Lanka. It is celebrated all over the country through flag-hoisting ceremony, dances, parades and performances. Usually, the main celebration takes place in Colombo, where the President raises the national flag and delivers a nationally televised speech.

Many national struggles were made in the history of Sri Lanka. And on the independence day all of these are remembered and celebrated. But the freedom struggle made against the British is especially recalled.

2013 Celebrations

The 65th National Independence Day of Sri Lanka will be held on a grand scale in Trincomalee under the theme of "Prosperous motherland and an affluent tomorrow".

The main parade will be held from the Gandhi roundabout to the Fort Fredric. The Independence Day celebrations will be held at the Mac-heizer Stadium. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend this year's Independence Day festival. Minister W.D.J Senevirathne addressing a media conference held in Colombo today that it is after 60 years that an Independence Day celebration is being held in Trincomalee. Earlier it was held there in 1953. The minister also said that an Independence Day celebration will be held in an area that was battered by terrorism. The military parade will consist more than 3,000 personnel from the tri forces, the police and the civil defence force. The cultural pageant will consist 16 events. Arrangements have been made to hold Independence celebrations on district levels as well. He said that already instructions have been issued to hoist the national flag on all government institutions on the 3rd and 4th of next month and keep the buildings illuminated during this period.

The celebrations will start with an all night Pirith chanting at the independence square in Colombo on the second night and there will be an alms giving on the following day. Religious functions will also be held on the 4th of February in connection with the Independence Day celebrations. The Buddhist function will be held at the Wigam-wehera Rajamaha Viharaya in Trincomalee, the Hindu function at the Thiru-koneshwaram Shiva Kovil, the Islam function at the Muhiyaddeen Jumma Masjid, the Catholic function at the St. Mary's Church and the Christian function at the Dockyard Methodist church in Trincomalee.

President Mahinda Rajapakse is scheduled to arrive at the celebration premises around 8.45 am and the parade will be held around 9.00 am. After that there will be 21 gun salutes to the president. The address to the nation will be delivered by the president at 9.15 am.

In addition to these, the offering of floral tributes to the statute of the first Prime Minister of the country the late Mr. D.S Senanayaka will be held at the Independence Square in Colombo.

Sri Lanka is a founding member state of SAARC and a member United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, G77 and Non-Aligned Movement. As of 2010, Sri Lanka was one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Its stock exchange was Asia's best performing stock market during 2009 and 2010.

CPSC joins in celebration with the government of Sri Lanka and its people in commemorating the significance and solemnity of this day.