Sinhala Sri Lanka Promotes 13 April as Tamil New Year:
 a Twin Track Approach...

"..The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Ottawa
is proud to have been the mentor of this project."

"...In view of the consensus amongst almost all Tamil Scholars that the first day of the month of Thai, is the first day of the Tamil year, this Government has decided to declare 1st Thai as the Tamil New Year day. Therefore, the people of Tamil Nadu, who now celebrate Pongal as the festival of Tamils, can now celebrate it as Tamil New Year day also with redoubled joy..." Governor's Address in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly , 23rd January 2008 [The Bill declaring 1st Thai as the Tamil New Year day was passed unanimously by the Tamil Nadu State Assembly on 1 February 2008]

From the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence Website, 16 April 2008

"Sinhala and Tamil communities in Canada celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New year on the 13th of April, 2008 in Toronto, in a spirit of harmony and goodwill.

This Grand Cultural show was organized by the Canadian Democratic Tamil Cultural Association, which is a community organization working to promote democracy and pluralism in the Tamil community in Ontario and to foster friendship and understanding with other Sri Lankan communities and the Canadian mainstream. The highlight of the celebration was the Cultural Pageant, which presented Bharatha Natiyam and Kandyan Dances displaying ethnic harmony.

A capacity crowd of 520 people from the Sri Lankan Community in Toronto participated in these celebrations and the significant factor was the participation of an equal number from both Sinhala and Tamil communities and the presence of members from the Muslim, Malay and Burgher Communities.

Mr. Sam Rajendran, the president of the Canadian Democratic Tamil Cultural Association addressing the participants stated that the "CDTCA is committed to contribute towards a negotiated political settlement that would bring a peaceful and lasting resolution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and one of the ways in which this objective could be achieved is to hold cultural and community events to bring all Sri Lankans together in a spirit of harmony and goodwill.

Mr. Mahinda Gunasekera and Day Hettiarachchi, senior members of the Sinhala Community were present at this Cultural Show. Mr. Bandula Jayasekera, the Consul General of Sri Lanka in Toronto graced the occasion.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Ottawa is proud to have been the mentor of this project."

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" தையே முதற்றிங்கள் தை முதலே ஆண்டு முதல்
பத்தன்று நூறன்று பன்னூ றன்று
பல்லாயி ரத்தாண்டாய்த் தமிழர் வாழ்வில்
புத்தாண்டு, தைம் முதல் நாள், பொங்கல் நன்னாள்

நித்திரையில் இருக்கும் தமிழா!
சித்திரை அல்ல உனக்குத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு
அண்டிப் பிழைக்க வந்த ஆரியக் கூட்டம் காட்டியதே
அறிவுக்கு ஒவ்வாத அறுபது ஆண்டுகள்
தரணி ஆண்ட தமிழர்க்கு
தை முதல் நாளே தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு."
Paventhar Bharathidasan