Historic Ridi Viharaya in Kurunegala
Discussion on Progress and Future Plans for Developing Ridi Viharaya as an International Tourist Destination
The Presidential Secretariat held a discussion on the project’s progress and future plans to develop the historic Ridi Viharaya in Kurunegala as an international tourist destination, under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs Namal Sudarshana and Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The project aims to develop Ridi Viharaya, a popular tourist attraction in the Kurunegala District, into an international Buddhist and spiritual wellness destination while preserving its historical and cultural heritage. It is expected to help promote Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
The discussion focused on attracting approximately 5,000 foreign tourists per month to Sri Lanka through this temple, thereby making a significant contribution to the country’s future tourism targets.
The meeting emphasized that yoga, meditation, and other spiritual programs could help establish the temple as a destination capable of attracting international attention.
The meeting also discussed plans to maintain the temple and its surrounding environment as a carbon-free zone. Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that transport operations, restaurant facilities and other activities within the area are managed in keeping with this objective.
The need to raise awareness among young people in the area and provide them with the training needed to support the project’s successful implementation was also discussed.
The development of the road network connecting Ridi Viharaya with nearby tourist attractions, together with improvements to infrastructure and other facilities, was considered. It was emphasized that these development activities should be carried out under a coordinated, systematic plan.
The importance of bringing together all relevant institutions to ensure the successful implementation of the project was also highlighted. These include the Ministry of Tourism and its affiliated institutions, the Urban Development Authority, the North Western Provincial Tourism Development Authority, the Road Development Authority, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Department of Forest Conservation.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Incumbent of Ridi Viharaya, the Most Venerable Tibbatuwawe Buddharakkhitha Thera, and the Venerable Ridigama Vanarathana Thera, Member of Parliament M.K.M. Aslam, President’s Senior Additional Secretary Roshan Gamage, Professor W.K.A.C. Gnanapala, Professor Mohammad Halim Mohammad Aslam, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Director Manjula Weerakkody and Assistant Director Chandima Gamage, Urban Development Authority Director of Planning (North Western Province) Priyani Nawaratne, other government officials and representatives of private-sector institutions involved in the tourism industry.