Highly successful visit by British Cabinet Minister to Sri Lanka

British Cabinet Minister, The Right Tessa Jowell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, completed her highly successful visit to Sri Lanka on December 9, states a British High Commission press release.

In meetings with Prime Minister Wickremanayake and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Ms Jowell's discussions included the peace process, tsunami reconstruction and the forthcoming tsunami anniversary.

During her visit, Ms Jowell met Sri Lankan children who will benefit from the UK government-funded project "Youth Rehabilitation & Reconciliation through Community Cricket" which is run by the North Central Province Cricket Association.

In areas affected by the tsunami and conflict the scheme will establish a network of cricket coaches with trauma management skills to coach young people and develop a shared experience of sport.

The Minister handed over new cricket equipment to some of the children and watched them practise their skills.

At the British Council in Colombo, she talked with students about their projects, saw English language training and viewed a British TV film about the tsunami called "Self Portraits".

On December 9, Ms Jowell met children at the Golden Feathers School in Katugoda which has been built by volunteers from Project Galle 2005 to replace one destroyed by the tsunami.

She saw houses being built to replace homes damaged by the tsunami and met hotel owners in Hikkaduwa.

Other highlights of Ms Jowell's visit included meeting leading Sri Lankan women and watching a performance of the Edinburgh Festival award-winning production "Children of the Sea" by tsunami survivors.

Tessa Jowell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera on December 8.