Buddhist Blessings to Her Majesty on Her 91st Birthday

On Saturday, 10th June 2017, the Athula Dassana Multicultural Buddhist Community Centre (Registered Charity No. 1155139), under the guidance of the Most Venerable Wanduramba Kassapa Thero, Head Monk of the Heathrow Athula Dassana International Buddhist Temple and Head Monk of Great Britain, hosted a special street festival for the second time.

The primary purpose of this event was to pay our respects and offer Buddhist blessings to Her Majesty on her 91st birthday.

Our vibrant street festival featured a Sri Lankan cultural dance performance led by Mr. Attanayake. A free food stall offered delicious Sri Lankan home-cooked meals for all attendees. Guests enjoyed Western and Sri Lankan songs performed by Mr. Kasun Senanayake, Mr. Botheju, and Ms. Samadhi, creating a joyous and festive atmosphere. Over 250 people from the local community joined the celebration, expressing their appreciation for the strong community spirit.

A highlight of the event was a special three-hour sermon led by Ven. Dodamgoda Sumedha Thero, along with Buddhist monks from various UK Buddhist centers. These sermons offered healing blessings for all living beings and the environment.

The esteemed monks who participated included,

• Most Venerable Kannimahara Piyasiri Thero (Jethavana Buddhist Viharaya, Birmingham)
• Most Venerable Kantale Wijithawansa Thero (Germany)
• Most Venerable Sumana Swamin Thero (Croydon Buddhist Viharaya)
• Most Venerable Dodamgoda Sumedha Thero (Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist Viharaya, Kingsbury)
• Most Venerable Kohukumbure Siridhamma Thero (Heathrow Athula Dassana International Buddhist Viharaya)
• Most Venerable Galayaye Dhammadassi Thero (Thames Buddhist Viharaya, Croydon)

The Ipswich Sri Lankan Association (Registered Charity No. 1151973) co-organized the event, ensuring its smooth execution. Security was provided by Mr. Prashan Wimalaratnam, owner of Blackcoats Protection Security Services.

The street festival was a great success, made possible by the dedication of our hardworking volunteers. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed their time and effort to make this celebration a memorable one.