A Sri Lankan couple resident in New Zealand, have been honoured by the Queen of England for the "Multicultural Community Social Services" rendered by them, bridging an understanding between the natives of New Zealand and the multi-ethnic migrants.

Mrs. Anoma de Silva and her husband Dr. Titus de Silva, are the first Sri Lankan couple to achieve this distinction.

Mrs. Anoma de Silva, the chairperson of Waitakere City, Multicultural Community Society, has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, effective from January 1, 2003, while her husband, has received the ‘Queen’s Service Medal’, dated June 2003.

They have been residing in Auckland NZ, since 1977, and had been rendering voluntary services donating their own time and money.

Anoma, a mother of two grown up sons, is a daughter of the late D. A. W. Jayasekara and the late Mrs. Jayasekara of Windsor Avenue, Dehiwela.

Anoma was educated at Vishakha Vidyalaya Colombo, and at present a professional librarian, and archivist at the University of Massey, NZ