Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

The Chargé d’Affaires of Romania, resident in Colombo, Ambassador Victor Chiujdea, met Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Friday, 19 March at the Foreign Ministry. The parties reviewed bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres, with a focus on trade, investment, tourism, foreign employment and agriculture.

Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to further consolidating the warm and friendly relations between the two countries spanning sixty four years, Foreign Minister Gunawardena reiterated the intent of the Government to open a resident Mission of Sri Lanka in Romania in the near future.

The Minister appreciated Romania’s partnership with Sri Lanka in the provision of employment opportunities for Sri Lankan nationals in a range of sectors, and welcomed the potential to further expand this cooperation in the future. Ambassador Chiujdea reaffirmed Romania’s interest to broaden cooperation in the employment sector, and indicated that Sri Lankan workers are held in high esteem in Romania, due to their superior skills and adaptability.

The parties focused on the expansion of bilateral trade and investment opportunities, including greater utilization of the EU GSP+ facility, and cooperation in the tourism sector, given the increasing trend of tourist arrivals from Romania to Sri Lanka, and to South Asia.

The discussion also covered review of shared interests in the regional and multilateral spheres, the exchange of high level visits, as well as identification of potential sectors for future cooperation.

Foreign Ministry
Colombo

23 March 2021

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena met with the Afghanistan Ambassador in Sri Lanka Ashraf Haidari on 19 March 2021, at the Foreign Ministry for bilateral discussions.

Ambassador Haidari provided a briefing to Foreign Minister Gunawardena on the ongoing peace process in Afghanistan and conveyed his country’s aspirations for a successful outcome. While wishing Afghanistan to achieve durable peace and security, Foreign Minister Gunawardena unequivocally condemned the recent acts of terrorism in Kabul, which resulted in several civilians deaths.

The two dignitaries agreed to continue the current momentum of bilateral engagements with their strong commitment for enhanced relations. As an immediate step, Minister Gunawardena and Ambassador Haidari agreed to commence the Foreign Office Political Consultations by concluding the proposed Memorandum of Understanding next month, which the Cabinet of Ministers in Sri Lanka already endorsed. There was consensus that expeditious action would be taken in respect of the other bilateral instruments, which include an Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons, an Air Services Agreement and two MoUs respectively on Diplomatic Visa Waiver and Defence Cooperation.

Both sides shared the sentiment that being close neighbours, as well as Members of the SAARC, the future potential in trade and economic cooperation must be explored through the relevant trade chambers in the two countries. Ambassador Haidari invited Sri Lanka side to explore the high potential areas for bilateral trade, including tea, gem and jewellery, dry fruits, nuts and cereals, while proposing to establish direct aviation connectivity between the two countries.

Further, Ambassador Haidari invited Minister Gunawardena to undertake an official visit to Afghanistan, including to the regions of Buddhist heritage, such as Bamiyan.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

22 March 2021

For the first time, Poson was celebrated at Parliament Hill on June 16, 2024. The event was hosted by Hon. Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament for Nepean, Ontario. The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Ottawa initiated and organized this significant event in collaboration with the Sri Lankan temples, community, recognizing the cultural importance of Poson to Sri Lanka.

Several esteemed Buddhist monasteries and cultural centers participated in the celebration, including Hilda Jayawardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery, Ottawa Theravada Buddhist Vihara and Cultural Centre, Ottawa Buddhist Viharaya, and Sri Sambuddhagaya Viharaya in Montreal.

Hon. Chandra Arya addressed the gathering, emphasizing the necessity of preserving the cultural heritage of Sri Lankan Buddhists. Ven. Kekunadure Hemalankara Thero spoke on the significance of Poson to Sri Lankan Buddhists, while Ambassador Bharat Raj Paudyal from the Embassy of Nepal highlighted the importance of Buddhism. Indian Deputy High Commissioner Chinmoy Naik traced the history and spread of Buddhism from India to other countries and underscored the strengthening of bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka through religious tourism. Anzul Jhan, Acting High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, expressed gratitude to Hon. Arya for providing the Sri Lankan community with the opportunity to celebrate this important event at Parliament Hill. She commended the leadership of the Buddhist temples in Ottawa and Montreal for their role in organizing the community and recalled the traditional Poson celebrations in Sri Lanka, appreciating the dedication and commitment of the community in recreating the Poson spirit through decorations at Parliament Hill.

The event commenced with guided meditation led by Ven. Nugagalayaye Jinanada Thero, followed by chanting of Pirith. The program included Bakthi Gee, a documentary on Poson, several devotional dance performances, and contributions from community members. The children displayed their artwork on the importance of Poson and there was also a Poson greeting card drawing booth.  A special "Saruwath Dansala” was also organized as part of the celebrations.

Sri Lanka High Commission
Ottawa
20th June 2024

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