September 07, Colombo (LNW): Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath departed for Geneva early this morning to take part in the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which officially commences tomorrow.
The high-level gathering is expected to bring together international leaders, diplomats, and human rights advocates from across the globe to deliberate on pressing global issues related to human rights, accountability, and international cooperation.
Minister Herath is slated to deliver a formal address on behalf of Sri Lanka, outlining the government’s current stance on human rights and its recent efforts in strengthening democratic governance, reconciliation, and institutional transparency.
His speech is anticipated to reflect on the administration’s first year in office and highlight the progress made under the new leadership since the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition came into power.
In addition to his scheduled remarks at the Council, Minister Herath is set to engage in a series of bilateral discussions with key diplomatic counterparts from other member states. These sideline meetings are aimed at fostering constructive dialogue, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to international cooperation, and discussing pathways to enhance mutual understanding in the area of human rights protection.
A particularly noteworthy engagement on the minister’s agenda is a scheduled meeting with Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This conversation is expected to provide an important platform for Sri Lanka to articulate its ongoing reforms and policy initiatives, as well as to respond to continuing international interest and scrutiny regarding the country’s human rights record.
Accompanying the Foreign Minister on this mission is Dyani Mendis, Director-General of the United Nations and Human Rights Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
