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| Saturday, 27 September 2003 |
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Sri Lanka and Germany mark 50 years of diplomatic relations The German Embassy in Colombo, in collaboration with the German development agencies and cultural institutions operating in Sri Lanka, has organized a series of special events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Germany, a diplomat at the embassy said this week. "These events, which begin with the German National Day on October 3rd and continues into December, are designed to showcase and further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two countries," said Claudia Buecker, Third Secretary of the German Embassy. The programme of events include a roundtable discussion on devolution of power, public lecture on peace processes in post-war situations, two stage dramas, two classical concerts, a trade exhibition and a film festival. Visiting German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Ms. Weiczoreck-Zeul will also participate in a panel discussion on development and peace to be held on December 6th. To mark the 50th anniversary, the embassy also launched a book titled "Sri Lanka-Germany: Fifty years of friendship and cooperation 2003", covering historical and diplomatic relations between the two countries and tracing the course of development, cultural and economic cooperation over the years. Post-war diplomatic relations between the two countries began when the first envoy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Georg Ahrens, presented his credentials to Ceylon's Governor General Lord Soulbury on December 9th 1953. According to Ms. Buecker, even though modern diplomatic relations began 50 years ago, the roots of the relationship between the two countries go far deeper. Germany's first official representative to Ceylon was appointed in 1872, who served as Consul under the Imperial German Consul-General stationed in India. In 1876 the respected German tradesman Philipp Freudenberg was appointed consul in the capacity of official representative of the German Empire in Ceylon and served for 30 years in this capacity. The German Consulate was closed between 1914 and 1921 due to World War I and again in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II. Subsequently, full diplomatic relations were established in 1953 between the newly formed Federal Republic of Germany and independent Ceylon. Ms. Buecker pointed to Wilhelm Geiger as a German who made great contributions in the early years towards unraveling Sri Lanka's cultural heritage. Geiger, who translated the Mahawamsa from Pali (1912), devoted his life to studies of the language, the history and the culture of the Sinhalese people as well as to Pali and Buddhist research. Today Germany is one of the biggest providers of development assistance to Sri Lanka. It is the fourth largest market for Sri Lankan exports and with over 350,000 German tourists having visited Sri Lanka over the past five years, is a key contributor to the island's tourist industry. Meanwhile, close upon 60,000 Sri Lankan expatriates call Germany their home. "The relationship between our two countries has been forged over a few centuries. It is based on mutual respect, understanding each others cultural values and the respect for democratic principles," Ms. Buecker said. |
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