At the inaugural ceremony, after the lighting of the traditional oil lamp, the participants were welcomed by Professor B L Panditharatne, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya. There followed addresses by Dr A Christodoulou, Secretary-General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and Professor Sir Kenneth Stuart, Medical Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat. The Hon. Victor Tennekoon, Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, then addressed the meeting and declared the workshop open.