A 08-member high-level media delegation from Sri Lanka representing the main stream print and electronic media visited Kuwait on the invitation of the Kuwaiti Government for the 30th GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Summit from 14th to 15th December 2009. The Sri Lankan media delegation is one of the largest media contingents of Asian Journalists invited for this historic summit hosted by Kuwait. The media journalists who have been embedded with over 350 foreign Journalists reported exclusively with an in-depth analysis on the 02-day summit proceedings which involved leaders of Gulf States i.e. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait at a crucial time for the Gulf region. The agenda items featured at the Gulf Council Summit included the common currency, food security, the situation in Palestine, Iraq and other regional issues. The media team also reported exclusively on the important role played by Kuwait within the GCC and beyond.
The Journalists took time off from their busy schedule to visit the Sri Lanka Embassy where they met with Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Kuwait Sarath Dissanayake accompanied by Embassy staff. Ambassador welcomed the Sri Lanka media delegation to Kuwait and briefed them on the activities the mission has embarked upon to promote Sri Lanka as a potential destination for investments and tourism from Kuwait. He also said that the visit was a reciprocal gesture extended by the Kuwaiti Government in return for the visit of a group of Kuwaiti Journalists hosted by Sri Lanka in October this year.
The Journalists appreciated the opportunity to visit the Embassy and expressed their gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for the warm welcome and generous hospitality provided, which is a reflection of the very warm and friendly relations enjoyed by the two countries and the peoples. They briefed the Embassy staff on the firsthand knowledge and experiences they gained during the short stay and discussed the concerns of the Sri Lankan expat workers in Kuwait.
The delegation also met with Mr. Javaid Ahmad, President of Kuwait Journalists Association at the Embassy who briefed them about the history of local press, press freedom and other issues related to Kuwait media.
The two sides also discussed the ways and means of exploring opportunities for further promotion of relations between the two countries in a range of fields including cooperation in media, information, tourism, exchanges, people to people contacts etc.
Embassy of Sri Lanka, Kuwait
17th December 2009
