United Nations

 VIENNA, 4 October (UN Information Service) -- The new Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations (Vienna), Anil Kumar Moonesinghe, presented his credentials today to Pino Arlacchi, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). 

 Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Moonesinghe served as Deputy Speaker in the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

 Between 1945 and 1952 Mr. Moonesinghe was a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party of Great Britain and member of the British Labour Party. From 1952 till 1980 he was member of the Lanka Samasamaja Party and served as a member of the Political Bureau and Assistant Secretary. In 1980 he became member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and held the position of a member in the Central Committee. He was first elected to Parliament from the Agalawatte Constituency in 1956. In addition, Mr. Moonesinghe was the founding Secretary General of the United Corporations and Mercantile Unions, Vice-President of the Lanka Estate Workers Union and finally President of the Sri Lanka Motor Workers Union.

 Besides his activities in the Parliament he is currently also the President of the Buddhist Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka as well as member of the Board of the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust and the Board of the Simon Hewavitharana Trust. He is also author of several books on Poland and Hungary. 

 Mr. Moonesinghe is a Barrister at Law of the Middle Temple and received a Bachelor of Law at the University of London. Furthermore he is an Attorney-at-Law at the Supreme Court in Sri Lanka.

 Mr. Moonesinghe is married, he has four children.