Coinciding with the momentous Lunar New Year holidays in the Republic of Korea, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Korea, Dr. A. Saj U. Mendis, was invited to deliver a Special Lecture on Sri Lanka with particular emphasis on touristic attractions and attributes of Sri Lanka. This Special Lecture was organized by the Good News Corps Overseas Volunteer Program of International Youth Fellowship (IYF), an organization which has sent out nearly 10,000 university students and graduates to approximately 100 countries around the world to contribute for volunteerism, cultural exchange, mutual understanding and informal diplomatic activities, amongst others. The IYF is a highly recognized and reputed body in the region, which deepens and widens bilateral relations on people-to-people basis and enhances the understanding and awareness of cultures, values, ethos, religious beliefs and unique characteristics of different and diverse ethnicities and nationalities in myriad countries. The Program has sent a significant number of Korean university students and graduates to Sri Lanka as well and most of them were present at this Special Lecture.
Before the 90-minute address of Dr. Mendis, the volunteers of Good News Corps Overseas Program of IYF performed a number of Sri Lankan cultural events and sang traditional Sri Lankan melodies, which they have learned during their stay in Sri Lanka. A total number of over 800 university students, graduates and parents of students, travel writers and guests were present at this Ceremony.
During the address, Ambassador Dr. Mendis enunciated that Sri Lanka is a country which has a temperature ranging from 6 degrees to 35 degrees Celsius, within less than five hour distance by road, at any given time of the year. This was stated particularly in the context that the temperature in Seoul, on this day, was minus 12 degrees Celsius. He stated that an Island nation, which is 2/3 the geographic extent of South Korea, could offer drastically varying temperatures, thus enabling people of the country or visitors to the country to pick and choose the weather and temperature that they wish to have. Most of the audience, who had not been to Sri Lanka, were highly impressed of this fact. Dr. Mendis further stated that many people and travelers are not aware that Sri Lanka offers almost every attribute and feature that any other country, known as highly sought after touristic destinations, could offer except snowcapped mountains and skiing. Since most of the Koreans and other nationalities who were in the audience were highly concerned and worried of the ongoing Coronavirus, Dr. Mendis stated that Sri Lanka is very safe and basically immune from the scourge of Coronavirus. He further added that “Lonely Planet”, “National Geographic”, “BBC Good Foods”, and “CNN, to name a few, have chosen Sri Lanka as amongst the most desired touristic destinations in the entire world.
