“Doors Are Open”: President Declares End to Dynastic Politics, Invites Youth to Lead

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared that the era of inherited political leadership is over, and that Sri Lanka’s youth must now step forward as the rightful custodians of the nation’s future.

“This is not just another summit,” the President said in a powerful address at the National Youth Summit. “It is the most talked-about youth gathering in recent times — because it marks a turning point. For too long, youth movements were used to serve the ambitions of the children and relatives of the old political elite. They were tools to protect family power, not platforms to empower young leaders.”

He emphasized that the new political transformation underway in Sri Lanka is committed to breaking that cycle. “We are not here to cling to power. We are here to pass the baton. The future leadership of this country will no longer be linked to bloodlines or privilege — it will be earned through merit, integrity, and vision.”

President Dissanayake urged young people to rise as voices of justice and fairness, but reminded them that to do so, they must first embody those values themselves. “Before you speak for justice, you must be just. Before you demand fairness, you must live it.”

He concluded by affirming that the current leadership is temporary by design. “We sit in these seats knowing that one day, we must leave. And when that day comes, it is you — the youth — who will take our place.”