Lanka showcases cultural heritage at UNESCO headquarters in France

FRANCE: The Sri Lankan Embassy in France and the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to UNESCO in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and SriLankan Airlines organised 'Serendipity - an Evening of Sri Lankan Dance and Rhythm', a Sri Lankan cultural show featuring the Channa-Upuli Performing Arts Foundation on September 11 at the UNESCO Headquarters in France.

The event's main purpose was two-fold: to showcase Sri Lanka's cultural heritage at UNESCO in the context of Sri Lanka's candidature to the 58-member UNESCO Executive Board, the elections to which are due to be held during the 34th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in October, and to re-launch a tourism campaign in France following the revised travel advisory.

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha is Sri Lanka's representative of the Board and the current four-year term will be expiring in October. Sri Lanka became a member of UNESCO in November 1949, even before becoming a member of the United Nations in 1955. Since then Sri Lanka has served on the Executive Board only for 14 years.

Sri Lanka is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO has also included the Seruvila Mangala Rajamaha Viharaya and the cluster site of the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Range in its tentative list to be considered for inscription on the World Heritage List.

The 20 member Channa-Upuli Performing Arts Foundation entertained a packed audience including members of the diplomatic corps, UNESCO officials, French travel and tour operators to Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan community in France and other guests.

The event was preceded by a workshop/seminar titled 'Re-launching Sri Lanka Tourism in France' at the same venue and attended by tourism professionals and the media. A special workshop on women and tourism was held with the participation of businesswomen in the tourism field.

Assistant Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation, Geoffrey Lipmanan participated.

World Tourism Day is to be held in Sri Lanka tomorrow.

Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda was the Chief Guest at all three events.