Thank you to Her Majesty Queen Noor, President Roza Otunbayeva, Lord Stone of Blackheath, Shamil Idriss CEO of Search for Common Ground, The UK Board of Trustees chaired by Lord Purvis. I’d also like to thank those in attendance tonight: High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Minister of State Dr Andrew Murrison, Members of Parliament, and Search for Common Ground.
Permit me first to offer my gratitude to SFCG and its President and its other leaders for according me this honour of the Common Ground Award for Outstanding Political Vision and Courage. I feel privileged to stand beside great personages of our age, notably Her Majesty Queen Noor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former US President Jimmy Carter and others.
I feel humbled by your statement that this honour is bestowed upon me for my lifelong commitment to engage in the battle for Peace, among all the peoples of Sri Lanka, despite our formidable history of tragic and terrible divisions and violence.