He made these comments addressing the special ceremony organized by Sri Lanka Communist Party to mark the 100th anniversary of the Great October Revolution on 7th November at Nelum Pokuna Theatre.

The October Revolution, officially known in Soviet literature as the Great October Socialist Revolution was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolsheviks and Vladimir Lenin and was instrumental in the larger Russian Revolution of 1917. It took place with an armed insurrection in Petrograd on 7th October, 1917.

The President said, “Even today the people are ready for the revolution for freedom and democracy but there is a deficiency of the persons who can give the leadership for that.”

He said, currently there is a strong foundation for bilateral relationships between Sri Lanka and Russia and added the economic and commercial relationships between the two countries have extended and strengthened due to his visit to Russia as the leader who made a state visit to Russia on its invitation after 44 years.

The book ‘October Viplavaya Idiriyatama’ (October Revolution Continues) published by the Sri Lanka Communist Party was presented to the President at this occasion. The book which consists of a collection of articles by Sri Lankan intellectuals was presented to the President by the Secretary to the education section of Sri Lanka Communist Party Mr. Aga Jayasena.