Milestones
Milestones
Universal Franchise extended to all people
At the first election to the State Council of Ceylon (the unicameral legislature) in June..Read More
Free Education Policy in Sri Lanka
October 1945, the Free Education Policy came into effect; stating that every child above the..Read More
Diplomatic Relations with Australia
Australia and Sri Lanka have built a strong and enduring relationship since the establishment of..Read More
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) gains Independence
On February 4, 1948, Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. Dominion status..Read More
Diplomatic Relations with India
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of India established in 1948.
Opening of the first Overseas Mission: the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India.
The High Commission premises today.
Diplomatic Relations with France
Diplomatic Relations with the French Republic established on 27 October 1948.
Diplomatic Relations with USA
Diplomatic Relations with the United States of America was established on 29 October 1948, with..Read More
Diplomatic Relations with Turkey
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of Turkey established.
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in London, United Kingdom
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC, USA.
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Canberra, Australia.
Diplomatic Relations with Myanmar
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of the Union of Myanmar established.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rangoon, Myanmar.
Diplomatic Relations with Sweden
Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Sweden established on 18 November 1949.
Colombo Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs
The Colombo Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs held in January 1950, conceives of “The Colombo..Read More
Diplomatic Relations with Indonesia
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of Indonesia established.
Diplomatic Relations with Norway
Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Norway established in October 1950.
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Islamabad, Pakistan.
present day High Commission in Islamabad, opened on 22 February 1950.
The Colombo Plan launched
The Colombo Plan launched on 1st July 1951. In 1977, after adopted a new constitution,..Read More
Free Health Policy in Sri Lanka
The adoption of the Free Health Policy, comprising system of grass-root level workers including Public..Read More
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Diplomatic Relations with Japan
Diplomatic Relations with Japan established.
Diplomatic Relations with Italy
Diplomatic Relations with the Italian Republic established.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rome, Italy.
Diplomatic Relations with Belgium
Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Belgium established.
Diplomatic Relations with Germany
Diplomatic Relations with the Federal Republic of Germany established on 9 December 1953.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tokyo, Japan.
Colombo Powers Conference
The Colombo Powers conference hosted by Ceylon in Kandy from 28 April to 2 May 1954,..Read More
Bandung Conference
In April 1955, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) with 29 countries from Africa and Asia, met..Read More
Sri Lanka joins the United Nations
Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, obtained membership of the United Nations on 14 December 1955, along..Read More
Diplomatic Relations with Thailand
Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Thailand established in November 1955.
Diplomatic Relations with Israel
Diplomatic Relations with the State of Israel established on 1 June 1956.
Ceylon’s Representative to the UN presents credentials
Sir Senerat Gunewardene was appointed Ambassador to the United States in 1953 and served as..Read More
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Paris, France.
First Statement made by Head of Government of Ceylon at UN
Prime Minister, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike was the first Head of Government of Sri..Read More
Diplomatic Relations with China
Diplomatic Relations with the People’s Republic of China established on 7 February 1957.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing, China
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Egypt
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Egypt
Diplomatic Relations with Nepal
Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Nepal established on 1 July 1957. (In June 2017..Read More
Opening of the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai, India.
Diplomatic Relations with Malaysia
Diplomatic Relations with Malaysia established
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Egypt
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Egypt
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
Diplomatic Relations with the Soviet Union
Diplomatic Relations with the Soviet Union established on 19 February 1957.
Opening of the Embassy Sri Lanka in Moscow, Russia.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Canada
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Ottawa, Canada.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Cairo, Egypt.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bonn, Germany.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Cuba
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Cuba
World’s First Female Prime Minister
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected as the world’s first female Prime Minister on 21 July 1960…Read More
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) becomes a Member of the UN Security Council
Ceylon was elected as a member of the United Nations Security Council in 1960. Sir..Read More
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) first participated in a United Nations Peacekeeping mission
Sri Lanka first contribution to a United Nations Peacekeeping mission in 1960, by deploying Six..Read More
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Iran
Diplomatic Relations with Iran
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with the Philippines
Diplomatic Relations with the Philippines
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Manila, Philippines.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with the European Commission
Diplomatic Relations with the European Commission established.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with the Maldives
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of Maldives established on 26 July 1956.
Opening of the Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, Switzerland.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bangkok, Thailand.
Visit of UN Secretary General U Thant to Sri Lanka
The United Nations Compound in Colombo opened on 10 April 1967 by United Nations Secretary-General..Read More
Consulate opened in Sydney, Australia November 1968
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Singapore
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of Singapore established on 27 July 1970.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Stockholm, Sweden.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Kenya
Diplomatic Relations with Kenya
Establishment of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Nairobi, Kenya.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Kuwait
Diplomatic Relations with Kuwait established on 19 February 1971.
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Bangladesh
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Ethiopia
Diplomatic Relations with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Opening of Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels, July 1973
Sri Lanka presides over Law of the Sea Conference
Sri Lanka’s Hamilton Shirely Amerasinghe, was appointed as the President of the 3rd United Nations..Read More
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Palestine
Diplomatic Relations with Palestine
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Qatar
Diplomatic Relations with Qatar
First Sri Lankan President of the United Nations General Assembly
In 1976 H. Shirley Amerasinghe was appointed as the first Sri Lankan President of the..Read More
Sri Lanka hosts 5th NAM
NAM Summit held
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Korea
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of Korea established on 14 November 1977.
Sri Lanka for Disarmament
Sri Lanka, proposed the first ever United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Disarmament, which..Read More
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with UAE
Diplomatic Relations with the United Arab Emirates established in June 1979.
Opening of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Dhaka, Bangladesh, June
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Malé, Maldives.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Oman
Diplomatic Relations with Oman
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
First UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka
3 Cultural sites in Sri Lanka are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: The..Read More
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Kuwait.
Opening of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai, India.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) established
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) established with the signing of the SAARC..Read More
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Havana, Cuba.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Seoul, Korea.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat, Oman.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tehran, Iran.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with the Netherlands
Diplomatic Relations with the Netherlands established in November 1992.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in The Hague, Netherlands.
Opening of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Opening of the Embassy of Sri Lanka and the Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna, Austria.
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with South Africa
Diplomatic Relations with the Republic of South Africa established.
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