The Sri Lanka Ex- Servicemen's Association (SLESA) honoured all fallen War Heroes, including those of the World Wars during a fitting ceremony that commemorated Remembrance Day, more popularly known as “Poppy Day”, at the Vihara Maha Devi Park Cenotaph today (24 November 2024). The President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) , Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-forces Commanders, Foreign Ambassadors and Defence Attaches, past Tri-Service Commanders, Senior Officers of Tri-forces and members of the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association attended for the ceremony.

The War Memorial in Colombo was initially raised at the Galle Face but the Cenotaph was later dismantled and reassembled at its present location during the Second World War. The Cenotaph contains the names of those killed during First World War, while the Memorial Wall behind it maintains the names of those killed in the Second World War.