The country remains dependent on oil. But as we are now learning, oil is becoming increasingly scarce.

Bottom line: if you show a genuine interest in learning about how others became successful, you can open up a world of opportunities.

We tend to admire the people in our society who have accumulated such wealth as to seem somehow great. But we shouldn't forget that it was the everyday working class man who made this country great.

Networking is an essential part of building wealth.

To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all.

Going to school at home saved my life as far as education went. My parents were able to give me the attention I needed.

This celebration here tells me that this work is not hopeless. I thank you for this teaching with all my heart and lift my glass to human solidarity, to the ultimate victory of knowledge, peace, good-will and understanding.

The nationalist movement supported Sinhala by suppressing Tamil; there were competing nationalisms. It was a fundamental mistake to make parallel streams in education - or a calculated political gamble. Politicians were playing with it.