British academia must assist Sri Lanka at this critical time - GL

The academic and professional community in Britain has an important role to play in leading opinion formation with regard to the current political and economic situation in Sri Lanka, a country bound by intimate ties with Britain in terms of history and culture, Export Development and International Trade Minister Professor G.L. Peiris told leaders of British academia in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

He was received by Sir Colin Lucas, Warden of the Rhodes Trust at Oxford and former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Sir Colin, under the direction of the Rhodes Trustees, administers the system of Rhodes Scholarships which enable talented scholars from 32 countries spread over five continents, to have exposure to the unique academic environment of Oxford University, in keeping with the Last Will of Sir Cecil Rhodes.

Sir Colin Lucas, welcoming Prof. Peiris, recalled the Minister's tenure of the Rhodes Scholarship for Sri Lanka during the period when Bill Clinton held a Rhodes Scholarship for the United States.

Minister Peiris had a comprehensive discussion with Professor A M Honore, Queen's Counsel, Emeritus Professor of Law in the University of Oxford and Warden of All Souls College at a time when Prof. Peiris was elected to a Distinguished Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College in the University of Oxford.