The message added: “As we welcome this New Year, I urge all communities of this country to put their differences aside and come together to build a new country, an undivided united country that will cherish and uphold the rights, dignity, freedom and well being of all its people.

As a country, we have the enormous task of achieving a meaningful solution to the national question, beneficial development and lasting peace and reconciliation.

My appeal is that all citizens of this country will give their fullest support to achieve these tasks and make 2016 a remarkable year in the history of Sri Lanka.

It is through solidarity that we can build a prosperous country while acknowledging the ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and other unique features of each community.

My request to all communities in this country is to join hands to work in solidarity to build a better country for our future generations in this New Year.”