Message H.E. Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama - High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Pakistan.

The UN was established after World War II with the aim of preventing future wars, succeeding the ineffective League of Nations. The organization's objectives include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development and upholding international law. Sri Lanka Became a UN Member on 14th December 1955. Sri Lanka was elected as a member of the United Nations Security Council in 1960.

Sri Lanka is pleased to have contributed significantly to its work, from its peacekeeping operations to its specialized agencies and Sri Lankan nationals have served with distinction in varied roles within the organization. Ambassador to UN Hamilton Shirely Amerasinghe, as the President of the 03rd United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea steered the deliberations of negotiating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including the dispute settlement mechanism.

Ambassador Amerasinghe also was elected as the President of the General Assembly in 1976. Dr. Gamani Corea as the Secretary- General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was instrumental in the establishment of Group of 77 and played a lead role in the establishment and development of the South Center. At the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the proposal by Sri Lanka President Ranasinghe Premadasa was unanimously accepted and the year 1987 was declared as the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless.

Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala Chaired the NPT Review and Extension Conference in 1995, which succeeded in bringing about consensus on a package of decisions with indefinite extension of the treaty. He was later entrusted with responsibility of Under Secretary General to re- establish the Department of Disarmament after the UN reforms of 1997. Judge C. G. Weeramantry served at the International Court of Justice from 1991 - 2000 and was its Vice President from 1997-2000. Judge...