The need of the hour is to develop togetherness and solidarity in Sri Lanka and develop Sri Lanka. The Mother Sri Lanka Programme will go far toward assisting the country to do this. The programme is from the heart and addresses the need of the hour. This need was realized by the President of Sri Lanka and the Mother Sri Lanka Programme was begun to address this issue, said Omare Kassapa, Presidential Advisor to the Education Ministry, speaking at the programme's Southern Province finals.
Chairperson of the Mother Sri Lanka Programme, Janaki Kuruppu said that similar to the courageous feats of our armed forces, every citizen has a role to play in our country's development at the present time. To change our country, we must first change ourselves. The main purpose of this competition is to inspire children to participate in the development of our country and to inspire children to think they can make a difference in their countries. Through the children and their parents and communities, we can make a change in Sri Lanka, she said.
The Mother Sri Lanka School Programme completed the southern province finals which was carried out among 11 Education Zones; 39 Education Divisions; and 340 schools reaching 350,000 students. The Schools Programme was successfully completed in Galle, Hambantota and Matara Districts.
The programme is a competition among school children to debate and begin a dialogue on the theme of: "What can the children of Sri Lanka give back to our country?" - "Magen Ratata, Rata Nagumata." The best themes are chosen from among the competing schools. The programme was launched first in the Southern Province where the competition began in February 2009 and concluded in June 2009.
This competition will be held in the other districts and provinces and the final all-island competition will be held in the last quarter of 2009 under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. | 
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