Sri Lanka’s heritage featured at US State Department

Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda during a recent visit to Washington presented the US State Department’s Bureau for South and Central Asia a framed 80 cm X 80 cm photograph of the statues of the Buddha at Gal Vihara, Polonnaruwa, to adorn the walls of the Bureau’s front office.

The black and white rendering of this 12th century masterpiece carved on a single piece of rock is a photograph by Sri Lankan photographer Nihal Fernando.

The presentation marks a milestone in creating a tradition for Sri Lanka Tourism in featuring artistic representations of the features of Sri Lanka serving as an important reminder of the diversity and vibrancy of the various natural, heritage offers and the warmth of the people of the country, a Ministry release said.

This classic work emphasised the relevance of the serene figure carved in stone, with its qualities creating a sense of peace and calmness to the soul of the observer, even today.

The effort of the artist working in stone, has been impress each facial expression representing the qualities of loving kindness and universal love of the Buddha, towards all mankind, depicting peaceful bliss.

The Minister has requested Sri Lanka Tourism to conduct a competition among Sri Lankan photographers and artists to create a series of the ‘Best of Sri Lanka’ to be used as very high quality exhibits from Sri Lanka to be displayed at places of significance in important international capitals.