On 31 March 2025, Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe extended a warm welcome to Namini Wijedasa, Journalist at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington, D.C. Head of Chancery/ Counsellor Chathuri Perera also attended the meeting.

Namini Wijedasa is in the United States to receive the distinguished International Women of Courage Award 2025 from the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, recognition of her fearless pursuit of truth, steadfast commitment to social justice, and transparency and accountability. The IWOC Award celebrates women from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership, often at great personal risk.

This prestigious honor not only highlights Namini’s remarkable impact on investigative reporting in Sri Lanka but also reinforces the enduring diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and the United States, emphasizing the pivotal role of the Sri Lankan journalist of the caliber of Namini in promoting good governance, transparency, accountability and the Rule of Law.

Ambassador Samarasinghe, at the invitation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attended the annual International Women of Courage Awards ceremony held at the Department of State on 01^st April 2025. The event featured the presence of special guest First Lady Melania Trump. The ceremony was streamed live on both the homepage and the YouTube channel of the State Department.

For further details on Namini Wijedasa, please refer to the U.S. Department of State’s published profile on her:

https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-states-2025-international-women-of-courage-award-recipients-announced/

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Washington, D.C.

01 April 2025