Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

State Minister Susil Premajayantha assumed duties as the State Minister of International Cooperation on 28 November 2019 and was received by Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and other senior officials upon his arrival at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo.

Minister Premajayantha addressing the gathering of senior officials, staff and media at the Ministry, following the assumption of duties, stated that he takes over duties as the State Minister in charge of International Cooperation at a time when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government faces many challenges in addressing prevailing issues in the international sphere. The State Minister reiterated that Sri Lanka will maintain its non-aligned foreign policy and remain an independent and sovereign nation, which maintains friendly relations with all states, especially the regional states and close neighbours with whom Sri Lanka has upheld close and friendly ties over the years.

The State Minister highlighted that he is looking forward to working in close collaboration with Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Foreign Secretary Aryasinha and the officials of the Ministry in achieving the foreign policy objectives of the country under the leadership of President Rajapaksa.

Ministry of Foreign Relations

Colombo

 29 November 2019

The Government of Sri Lanka has taken serious note of the alleged criminal incident concerning a locally recruited staff member of the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo, on Monday 25 November 2019.

On being informed of the alleged incident yesterday, the Police has taken immediate action to commence an investigation into the matter.

In order to enable the relevant authorities to conduct the investigation smoothly and according to established procedure, the fullest cooperation of the Embassy of Switzerland has been requested.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany who is concurrently accredited to Switzerland, Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi will be meeting with the Swiss authorities to provide an update on the investigation, shortly.

The Government of Sri Lanka takes this opportunity to reaffirm unequivocally its commitment to give effect to the obligations undertaken as a State Party to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), to facilitate the smooth functioning of diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

28 November 2019

Promotion of Ceylon Tea was organized by the Office of the Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in New Brunswick at the Diversity Champion Awards ceremony held on 22 November 2019 at the Hilton Trade & Convention Centre in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.

The participation of the Honorary Consul’s office, under the guidance of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Canada was an initiative by Dr Sameera Jayasena, Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in New Brunswick. The promotional event showcased a variety of Ceylon teas to a large gathering.

At this event, Sri Lankan tea products and Ceylon tea hampers were auctioned at a silent auction. Various varieties of Ceylon Tea were introduced and promoted by the staff of the Office of the Honorary Consul which were warmly welcomed and received at the event. The promotion of Ceylon tea was made possible with the support of the Sri Lanka Tea Board.

Read more: Ceylon Tea promoted at the Diversity Champion Awards in New Brunswick

Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena assumed duties at the Foreign Ministry on Monday 25 November 2019.

Minister Gunawardena was received by Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and other senior officials upon his arrival at the Ministry. Following religious observances, the Minister officially assumed duties.

Later, the Foreign Minister who addressed the staff, remarked that the Foreign Service is highly regarded. The Minister stressed that the entire country is looking towards the Foreign Ministry to find solutions for external pressures and challenges. Hence, it is necessary for the officers in the Ministry and the network of missions to work dedicatedly towards overcoming these challenges.  He also stated that President Rajapaksa's vision is for Sri Lanka to be safe and secure; leading the country towards a prosperous future. He further stated that in achieving these objectives, a single agency cannot work alone, but must work in unison with other institutions, and hence the role of the Foreign Ministry is vital in this aspect.

Read more: Minister Dinesh Gunawardena calls on Foreign Ministry Officials to rise to new challenges

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa together with other diplomatic missions based in Ottawa joined the International Food Fair organized by Global Affairs Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC) on 13^th November 2019 at the Global Affairs Canada.

The High Commission served classic Sri Lankan Short Eats along with complementary tea samples from the Sri Lanka Tea Board. The food fair attracted hundreds of officials of Global Affairs Canada who bought tickets and queued up to taste specialty foods showcased by each diplomatic mission representing items of their cuisine.

Read more: The Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa joins International Food Fair organized by Global Affairs Canada

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau in collaboration with the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa participated at the International Tourism and Travel Show which took place at the Place Bonaventure in Montreal from 25^th to 27^th October 2019. This is the 4^th consecutive year Sri Lanka has participated at this show.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner for Canada, Asoka Girihagama inaugurated the Sri Lanka Pavilion which carried Sri Lanka tourism’s new branding identity “So Sri Lanka” along with visuals showcased tourist attractions which illustrates the rich cultural heritage, beautiful landscapes, wildlife and beaches of Sri Lanka. Mr. Viranga Bandara, Assistant Director of Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau and several travel industry representatives also participated at this event.

The event attracted 36,250 prospective travellers who were planning their travel to new destinations and seeking expert advice on future holiday destinations. More than one hundred countries were represented at this event through their tourism offices, tour operators and travel agents.

According to the Annual Statistical Report of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 52,681Canadian tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2018, which is a 12% increase in the tourists’ arrivals from Canada to Sri Lanka compared to 2017. It is anticipated that Sri Lanka’s participation at this year’s show would further enhance Sri Lanka’s tourism potential in the Canadian market.

Sri Lanka High Commission

Canada

 01^st November 2019

Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing nineteen countries of the Asia Pacific region in Canada gathered at the residence of Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner for Canada, Asoka Girihgama for the monthly luncheon of the group on 28^th October 2019.

The October luncheon which was hosted by the High Commissioner Girihagama was attended by the Ambassadors and High Commissioners from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. As a part of the luncheon, Professor Elliot Tepper from Carlton University delivered an informative speech on the “challenges of the new Canadian Government: Internal and International” was followed by Q & A session. The luncheon which featured traditional Sri Lankan dishes served as an excellent opportunity for the Ambassadors and High Commissioners to discuss topics of relevance such as education, partnerships, economic and political issues.

The Asia Pacific Group of Ambassadors and High Commissioners luncheon is a monthly event that provides opportunities for Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing Asia Pacific region in Canada to network, share knowledge and collaborate on a regular basis. The October luncheon was the first luncheon of the group hosted in the year 2019 following the winter and summer breaks.

Sri Lanka High Commission

Ottawa

30^th October 2018