Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Indonesia and ASEAN, Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage, visited the Muara Jambi Buddhist complex in Sumatra Island, Indonesia, with members of the Theravada Buddhist organizations WANDANI and MAGABUDI. The primary objective of the visit was to promote Sri Lanka as a Buddhist tourist and pilgrimage destination, aligning with the mutual historical Buddhist relations between the two countries.
During the visit, spanning from 31 May to 3 June 2024, Ambassador Colombage attended a series of events, including a talk titled "Sri Lanka: The Cradle of Theravada Buddhism in the World" held at Muara Jambi, in addition to visiting the historical sites.
Ambassador Colombage also participated in a Buddhist Tourism Promotion event and a panel discussion on "Journey of Buddhism: Connectivity between Sri Lanka and Jambi" held at Vihara Jayamangala Dhammasala in Jambi, Sumatra Island, on 31 May 2024.
Muara Jambi was a Buddhist Melayu Kingdom from the 4th to the 13th century. This archaeological complex has nearly 92 temple compounds, and is situated by the Batanghari River. Muara Jambi is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient temple complexes in Southeast Asia.
Ambassador Colombage is set to arrange a series of visits by the Indonesian Buddhist community in Muara Jambi to Sri Lanka.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Jakarta
7 June 2024
