COLOMBO, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has declared 11 Buddhist temples with significant archaeological, historical, and sacred importance as sacred sites, the President's Media Division (PMD) said in a press statement on Friday.
The PMD said these sacred areas are located in the north-central, north-western, eastern, western and southern provinces, the PMD said.
With the new ones, Sri Lanka has 142 sacred sites, the PMD said.
Saman Ekanayake, the president's secretary, said the government will establish a Buddhist university and a Buddhist Museum in Kandy in central Sri Lanka to promote Buddhism.
Buddhism is followed by about 70 percent of Sri Lanka's population, according to official data. ■
