Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna National Organizer and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa said Asia’s future leadership should extend beyond economic growth and focus on moral, cultural and civilizational values.

While addressing the 2026 Asian Cultural Public Welfare Forum in Hong Kong, he said that Asia is expected to contribute nearly 60% of global GDP growth by 2030 and said the region now faces a broader challenge beyond economic advancement.He said the key question was not only how Asia develops economically, but also what kind of civilization it aims to become amid rapid technological and social transformation.Namal highlighted that modernization should support national identity rather than replace it, stating that growth should remain rooted in values and cultural foundations.Referring to Sri Lanka as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” he highlighted the country’s historical heritage and longstanding public welfare traditions, including ancient irrigation systems and reservoirs developed to strengthen water security, food production and social stability.

He also pointed to the traditional Sri Lankan concept of “the Tank, the Stupa, the Village and the Temple” as an example of an interconnected system linking community life, resources, values and knowledge.Namal further said that technological innovation and modernization should be guided by ethics and public welfare principles, while calling for stronger cooperation among Asian civilizations to address shared challenges such as climate change and digital inequality.