President Ranil Wickremesinghe who attended the 10th Environment Pioneer President’s Medal Awarding Ceremony 2020-2021 held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, announced that Sri Lanka is establishing the world’s first international environmental university to support the global effort in addressing climate change.
The President acknowledged that although climate change is a significant challenge for the world, there is no central research hub to study it, and invited multiple countries to join Sri Lanka in the effort.
President Wickremesinghe also stressed that the actions taken so far have only delayed climate change, and not stopped it. The ceremony recognized the excellent service of teachers, schools, regional environmental officials, and offices, with 129 environmental pioneers being awarded Presidential Medals. The Environment Pioneer President’s Medal is the highest accolade under the National Environment Pioneer President’s Medal, and the winners receive an additional 04 points in university entrance.
Aralagangwila Wilayaya National School was awarded as the best school, producing 14 Environment Pioneer President’s Medal winners, while the Central Provincial Office of the Central Environment Authority received the award for the best office, guiding the most significant number of Environment Pioneer President’s Medal winners (25). The Environment Pioneer President’s Medal recipients took a group photo with President Wickremesinghe, who urged them to spread the message of environmental protection in schools as environmental pilots.
The President emphasized that being an environmental pilot is a significant sacrifice and is dedicated to the betterment of future generations
