For the first time since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg in 1972, a diplomatic reception was held in Luxembourg to mark the twin occasions of the 75th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence and the 50 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg. The event was held at the Prince Henry Cultural Centre in Luxembourg on 22 February 2023. Marking the milestones, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Belgium, which is concurrently accredited to Luxembourg, hosted the event in Luxembourg with a view to creating awareness of Sri Lanka as a destination for investment, trade and tourism.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Olinger, represented the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg as the chief guest, and the Mayor of Walferdange of Luxembourg was the guest of honour.
The diplomatic reception was attended by officials of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg, diplomats, members of the business community and the travel industry, journalists, and other well-wishers.
The programme of the event commenced with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp and the playing of the national anthems of Luxembourg and Sri Lanka, followed by remarks by Ambassador Asirwatham and Secretary General Jean Olinger. In her address, Ambassador Asirwatham briefed the gathering on the current status of the economy of Sri Lanka and the measures taken to revive the economy through necessary socio-economic reforms. Ambassador Asirwatham also expressed hopes for furthering relations between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg and capitalizing on the two countries’ economic potential. In his remarks, the Secretary General reciprocated the sentiments by stressing the need to explore new ways to boost relations between the two countries and affirmed that, in the backdrop of the current geopolitical context, close partnerships, common understanding, and mutual trust are all the more important to progress as partners.
As part of the expansion of bilateral relations, Sri Lanka and Luxembourg are due to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Consultations between the two Foreign Ministries and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
Sri Lankan dance performances by the dance troupe of the Tisaravi Dance Foundation in France added splendour to the evening. The main focus of the event were documentaries on tourism in Sri Lanka, which had the guests' undivided attention. The invitees were also treated to Sri Lankan traditional dinner and Ceylon tea.
Several media institutions provided wide pre-and post-event coverage of the event, including carrying interviews with the ambassador in the newspapers.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a small country in Western Europe that is the wealthiest country in Europe, presents many economic opportunities. The economy of Luxembourg is largely dependent on the banking, steel, and industrial sectors. The amount of trade between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg is relatively small, yet it has substantially increased since 2018.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Brussels
28 February 2023
