A 10-member team of students of the Holy Family Convent, Jaffna visited India under the student exchange programme of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation. The team arrived in India on December 10, 2010 and concluded the tour on December 18, 2010. The student team was accompanied by the Principal of the school Sister Mary T Ladislaus and Mrs Y J Anna Maria Josephine, a teacher.
In New Delhi the student team was hosted by St Francis de Sales Senior Secondary School, Janakpuri, New Delhi. In October this year, a team of students from St Francis de Sales Senior Secondary School visited Jaffna and the team was hosted by the Holy Family Convent, Jaffna. This is the first visit by a team of Jaffna students to New Delhi for decades and this visit was possible as normalcy has now returned to the North and East Sri Lanka.
The Governments of India and Sri Lanka established the India-Sri Lanka Foundation in 1998 in order to promote greater understanding through enhancement of economic, scientific, educational, technical and cultural cooperation between the peoples of the two nations. The High Commissioners of the two countries act as Co-Chairpersons of the Foundation while the two governments have nominated two Directors each as the other members of the Board of Directors.
The Sri Lankan student team also had the opportunity for sight-seeing visits and to visit the homes of their Indian peers and to experience the Indian cuisine and to have a glimpse of the rich Indian culture. This visit has led to further enhance the close bonds of friendship they have developed with the Indian students after the Indian students’ recent visit to Jaffna. The Student team from Sri Lanka was able to showcase their art and craft talents along with their Indian counterparts at the Annual Fair organized by St. Francis de Sales Sr. Sec. School on 11 December at their school grounds.
The Sri Lankan student team, together with the Indian school team that toured Sri Lanka visited the High Commission of Sri Lanka on 14 December 2010 and met High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam. The Principals of both schools who accompanied the students appreciated the student exchange programme, which facilitates better understanding and nurtures bonds of lasting friendship among the youth of the two nations.
Sri Lanka High Commission
New Delhi
December 17, 2010
