The decision was made on December 29.

The late Kadirgamar made the request to the UN in 1999.

However the request was reiterated by Sri Lanka's UN representative Palitha Kohana on the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In this respect the chief priest of the New York Vihara Ven.Kurunegoda Piyatissa Thera and the rest of the Buddhist clergy backed Kohana in the same way they supported Kadirgamar.

The United Nations has granted two religious holidays for Christians and the same number of days for Muslims.

The request to have Vesak made a holiday was first put forward during the tenure of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga.