Mission News – Page 708 – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism

Ambassador Sarrath Kongahage visits the South Asia Institute of the University of Heidelberg

On the invitation of Professor William S. Sax, Head of the Department of Anthropology of the South Asia Institute of the University of Heidelberg, Ambassador Sarrath Kongahage visited the University of Heidelberg on the 29^th November 2012 accompanied by Consul General Pradeep Jayawardhane and Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Baden-Wuerttemberg Norbert H. Quack.

“TREES OF THE WORLD 2012” at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

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The High commission of Sri Lanka for Singapore participated in “The Trees of the World 2012’’ organized by the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Sri Lanka attends the International Charity Bazaar in Warsaw

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Sri Lankan Handicrafts, Tea, Spices and porcelain products were displayed at the International Charity Bazaar held on Sunday 25^th November at the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw organized by the Spouses of Head of Missions (SHOM) based in Warsaw.

Sri Lanka promoted as a tourist destination in the top “outbound tourists” cities of China

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The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lankan Airlines organised a series of events to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu in China, with a view to attracting Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka including those who will be travelling overseas during the Chinese “Spring Festival” holiday in February 2013.

Global Community Day 2012

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The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore participated at the ‘’Global Community day’’an annual event organised by Temasek Polytechnic of Singapore on the 23^rd of November 2012.

Sri Lanka at the MAHA International Agricultural Fair 2012

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The High Commission of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of External Affairs and Export Development Board participated at the MAHA International 2012, a nine day biennial agricultural exhibition held from 24^th November to 2^nd December 2012 in Serdang, Malaysia. The exhibition was organized by the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro based Industry and FAMA Consortium Sdn. Bhd. The MAHA Agricultural fair is considered as one of the biggest agro based trade fairs in the ASEAN region.

Many foreign governments acknowledge that Sri Lankans who continue to arrive on foreign soil illegally are in fact economic migrants and not refugees

Addressing the 101^st Council Session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva on Friday (30 November), Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha has observed that emphasis by the international community that Sri Lanka is now free from the dangers that constrained it during the time of the conflict, has been an important factor for those who left the country as refugees during the time of the conflict to return, with the joint assistance of the host countries, and organizations such as the IOM. However, at the same time illegal people-smuggling rings continue to rob families not only of their hard earned savings, but some times even their loved ones. Noting that the IOM, as well as a number of foreign governments, have in recent months acknowledged that the many Sri Lankans who continue to arrive on foreign soil illegally, are in fact economic migrants and not refugees, Ambassador Aryasinha said Sri Lanka remains committed to work with international partners toward raising awareness as to the dangers relating to illegal migration, with a view to end such practices.

Sri Lanka Permanent Mission

Geneva

30 November 2012

Full text of statement.