Sri Lanka Ambassador Describes Peace, Progress, Growing Prosperity in Sri Lanka

Thousands Turn Out for 'Sri Lanka Day Expo 2010'

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya served as "Chief Guest" at the recent "Sri Lanka Day Expo 2010" in Santa Monica, Calif., a festival that celebrates Sri Lankan culture, heritage and community.

During the Expo, Ambassador Wickramasuriya, told the gathering that Sri Lanka has entered into a new era of peace and prosperity, one unrivaled in the nation's modern history.

He expressed thanks to the Sri Lanka Foundation and its Founder and Chairman, Dr. Walter Jayasinge, and the Serandib Foundation as well as all other organizations.

Launched in 2006, the "Sri Lanka Day Expo", is spearheaded by the Sri Lanka Foundation. Today the Expo has grown to be one of the biggest events in the expatriate community calendar, allowing the Sri Lankan Diaspora to share their culture and heritage with the American public.

Dr. Jayasinge offered opening remarks at the Expo. Sri Lanka's recently-appointed Consul General to California, Mr. Jeff Goonewardena, also offered a welcome.

The Expo featured stalls of Sri Lankan food, handicrafts, clothing and travel information from Sri Lankan Airlines. Thousands of people attended the event, including a large number of non-Sri Lankans.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya remarked to Expo guests that the cultural show and Perahara -- the Buddhist Festival of the Tooth -- reminded him of Sri Lanka. The highlight of the Expo, he said, was the participation of the many different ethnic groups that make up the Sri Lankan community in the U.S., including Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims.

The Ambassador thanked the participants for supporting the link between the Sri Lankan Missions in the U.S. and the community. He also expressed gratitude for the community's willingness to support Sri Lanka's economic development.

The California visit continues a series of meetings that Ambassador Wickramasuriya has held with members of the Sri Lankan community throughout the United States following Sri Lanka's defeat of the LTTE terrorist group in May 2009.

Since then, the Sri Lankan government has engaged in a broad, worldwide reconciliation effort to bring together all members of the Sri Lankan community, including Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims and many others.

Sri Lanka has also focused on the reconstruction of regions damaged by nearly 30 years of conflict with the LTTE, as well as economic development in other areas where growth is promising.

SOURCE Embassy of Sri Lanka