The Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels celebrated Christmas on Saturday, 20th December 2014, with the participation of Sri Lankans living in Belgium and Luxembourg, in keeping with the tradition of celebrating all major reli ...
Daily Archives: December 24, 2014
Statement on US-Cuba rapprochement
Sri Lanka welcomes the announcements made by the leaders of the United States of America and Cuba, of a rapprochement between the two countries, thereby ending decades’ long estrangement and paving the way for the renewal of diplomatic ties. The release and exchange of prisoners is a concrete step towards a new era of US-Cuba relations which marks a turning point in the history of the two nations.
Sri Lanka has consistently called for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba, by the USA, which has caused severe hardship for the people of that country. It is therefore imperative to remove this obstacle to fully restore people to people interaction which will bring renewed prosperity to both nations. Read More
Washington Embassy Celebrates Christmas
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC celebrated the dawn of the Christmas season with participation from the Sri Lankan expatriate Christian community, officials from the US Department of State and community leader ...
Of an island of springs, stupas and serendipity
Sri Lanka of yore held unalloyed charm
Betty Kuriyan
AFP(FILES) In this photograph taken on September 8, 2007 Sri Lankan tea pickers work on a plantation in Kandy, some 150 kms north-east of Colombo. The world's biggest tea producers have agreed to bind together in a new organisation designed to raise prices which could hike the cost of a cuppa for consumers, a Sri Lankan minister announced January 23, 2013. AFP PHOTO/Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI
Sri Lanka, the Emerald Isle of yore, has made multiple transitions in recent decades. But the collage of memories about it from my childhood remains happy and unsullied by time and age.
The island then was a gentle, sun-filled land of upcountry rolling hills and meandering roads of white-washed stupas and incense-filled air; of temples, temple flowers, and lanterns swaying in the balmy air; and of houses in pristine surroundings even if they had only a room or two. The haunting throb of the drums at the Perahara in Kandy fills my ears even now. Memories of Kandy, Colombo, Gampola and Negambo cannot be erased at any time, though grim murder stalked the land in the past few decades.
Gampola, nestling amid hills, where I grew up, was a tranquil little town with steep, sleepy roads and old houses. The pains of growing up were tempered with the untroubled air among the peace-loving Gunawardenes, Fernandos, Alwises, Pelpolas, Kumaraswamys, Selwanyagams, Muthunayagams and Annarajas.
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