16.7.2008

Mozilla Firefox 3.0 version was officially launched in Sri Lanka by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) with the University of Moratuwa.

The 'e-Sri Lanka' programme is implementing many projects in the information and communication field, among them the introduction of technologies allowing the easy use of the Sinhala and Tamil languages, said Chief Operation Officer/Director, Information and Communication Technology Agency.

"The launch of the Mozilla Firefox web browser in the Sinhala language is an important step," he added.

Commenting on the development, Prof. Gihan Dias of the University of Moratuwa said that the process of providing facilities for all citizens to use computers and the internet in their own languages began five years ago.

"The primary means of promoting information and communication technology in a country and achieving a high literacy rate in IT is by encouraging content in native languages because the identity of a nationality is its language," said Wasantha Deshapriya, Director of the State Sector Restructuring Programme.

The introduction of 'Mozilla Firefox' in the Sinhala language is expected to help rural Sri Lankans, including children, to learn basic computing skills.