The ‘Wasath Siriya – 2023’ Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations will take place tomorrow (22) at the Shangri-la Green premises in Colombo and said a large number of applications have been received, the Presidential Media Division said.

They said the event will be held from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm tomorrow with participants taking part from all over the country. 

Applications are pouring in from several aspirants to take part in the Avurudu Prince/Princess contest, Marathon Race and traditional Bicycle Race. Youth from rural areas have shown keenness in taking part in the events, representing different provinces and ethnic groups.

The event was organized under three categories, namely State, Open and Guest category. The 'Wasath Siriya - 2023' consists of many competitive events with many features reflecting the local cultural values.

Young men and women aged 20-35 years are invited to take part in the ‘Wasath Siriya - 2023'  Avurudu Prince/Princess Contest.

The Prizes are as follows;

'Wasath Siriya - 2023' Avurudu Princess 
First place - Cash prize of Rs.150,000, a gold ornament and valuable gifts  
Second place - Cash prize of Rs.100,000 and other valuable gifts. Third place - Cash prize of Rs. 50,000 with other valuable gifts.

To enter the “Wasath Siriya” Avurudu Prince/Princess (Open category) competition, applicants must submit a recent colour photograph taken within the last three months. Relevant applications are available in the official website www.pmd.gov.lk. The completed application should be forwarded to [email protected] at it before 3.00 pm on April 20, 2023.

Athletes above the age of 16 can apply for “Wasath Siriya” marathon (Open Category), with a medical report confirming that he/she is physically fit to run a 20km race. All applications must be submitted to the Security Division of the President’s Office before 12:00 noon on April 21, 2023 which could also be forwarded through e-mail address [email protected] or through the WhatsApp number 0710573828.

The first place winner in the men’s marathon will be awarded Rs. 75,000, while the second and third place winners will receive Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 30,000, respectively. Participants who finish between fourth and tenth places will also receive Rs. 10,000 each.

For the women’s marathon, the first place winner will receive Rs. 50,000, with the second and third place winners receiving Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000, respectively. Participants who finish between fourth and tenth place will receive Rs. 7,500 each.

Meanwhile the standard Cycling Race for both men and women is open to all residents. Men and women cyclists who were born between 1973 and 2004 are eligible to compete in the event. The contestants who are interested in participating in this event should complete the relevant application forms and get it validated by a government authorized physician attesting their health condition and send it to the organizing committee via the e-mail to [email protected] or via the WhatsApp 0788429688.

The Men’s Standard Bicycle race offers a prize of Rs. 100,000 for the first-place winner, Rs. 75,000 for the second-place and Rs. 50,000 for the third-place. The fourth-place will receive Rs. 30,000, while the fifth-placed will get Rs. 20,000. Participants who finish between sixth and tenth place will each receive Rs. 9,000, and those who finish between eleventh and fifteenth places will each receive Rs. 5,000.

First place in the Women’s Standard Cycling race will receive Rs.50,000, second place will receive Rs.40,000, third place will receive Rs.30,000 fourth place Rs.20,000, fifth place will receive Rs.15,000, and sixth through tenth place will receive Rs.9,000 each.

The tug-of-war competition application form must be completed and submitted two days prior to the tournament or contact us on the phone number 0717880695.

Further details about the competitions and all applications are available on the website www.pmd.gov.lk.
Many events have been organized to attract the overseas tourists to give them an experience in the local cultural aspects associated with the New Year.

The Musical show ‘Miyasi Concert’ will begin at 7:00 pm at the same venue.