The Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment commenced its first day of the Sri Lanka NEXT: €œA Blue-Green Era€ Conference and Exhibition€ with a soft launch at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Convention Hall. The three-day conference and exhibition that will continue till October 19, 2016 has a number of side events and parallel sessions the primary of which includes the 05th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Forum organised by the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network that will focus on the theme of €œadapting and living below 2*c: bridging gaps in policy and practice€.

The soft opening included many high-level delegates including Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha, Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment Secretary Udaya Ranjith Senevirathne, Asia Pacific Adaptation Network Co-chair Mastaka Watanabe and UNEP Co-ordinator Mozaharul Alam.

€œOne of the main intentions of the Sri Lanka NEXT policy and programme is to promote and create awareness on sustainable development in the country. We hope that this event will be instrumental in generating the adequate awareness on climate change among the public, said Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment Secretary Udaya Ranjith Senevrathne.

Addressing the opening ceremony was Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) Co-chair Mastaka Watanabe who said, We've had over 1000 registrations, 600 international delegates from 60 countries, over 170 NGOs and 25 country government delegates making it the highest participation of international delegates APAN has hosted thus far.

The €˜Sri Lanka NEXT: €œA Blue-Green Era€™ was launched in January 2016 by President HE Maithripala Sirisena. The Conference will have simultaneous events happening throughout the three days including the global youth forum on climate change, international research symposium, 5th Asia-Pacific climate change forum, exhibition on Blue-Green economy and environment friendly technologies, film festival on Blue-Green economy and environment, Switch Asia Network Facility Programme, expert dialogue forum on Blue-Green Economy, Presidential environmental awards ceremony, Global Youth forum on Climate Change, Workshop for Journalists and Communicators and field visits to climate change adaptation sites.

The Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment of Sri Lanka is on a vision to create a healthy and pleasant environment sustaining nature for the well being of the people and the economy.