Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. Mahinda Samarasinghe met Dyana Leoni Perera, a ten year old student from Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, at the Embassy premises on 11 September 2024 and congratulated her for winning the Gold medal- Category -1, at the Mathematics Global Round of the 5th Copernicus Olympiad held at the Columbia University in New York in July.
Ambassador Samarasinghe praised Dyana for her outstanding accomplishments on the global stage, highlighting on how her success brings pride to Sri Lanka. He commended her dedication and achievements, noting that she serves as a shining example for other children in Sri Lanka, inspiring them to aim higher and dream bigger. The Ambassador extended his best wishes to Dyana for her future endeavors and expressed his excitement to witness more of her extraordinary accomplishments in the coming years.
During their conversation, Dyana shared details about her passion for education and creativity. She mentioned that she writes books and creates educational videos, which she sells through her own company, ‘Ironwood,’ aimed at enhancing children's learning experiences. In addition to her academic achievements, Dyana is passionate about the arts and sports, playing both the violin and piano in her free time.
The Copernicus Olympiad is a prestigious international competition that provides students from grades 3 to 12 the opportunity to showcase their talents in various disciplines, including science, mathematics, and physics. This year’s 5th Olympiad saw over 9,400 participants from 52 countries compete in the preliminary rounds. From these, 936 students from 30 countries were selected to compete in the final round at Columbia University. The Olympiad aims to inspire and promote affection for science and the arts among children worldwide.
Dyana’s parents, Mr. Prasanna Perera, and Ms. Indika Perera and senior officials of the Embassy also joined the interaction.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington D.C.
13 September 2024
