Sri Lanka High Commission in London hosts a Round Table Discussion on Sri Lankan Crafts
The High Commission of Sri Lanka in the UK, together with the National Crafts Council of Sri Lanka (NCC), hosted a Round Table Discussion on Sri Lankan crafts on 22.09.2025. Over 25 participants attended, including academics from the London College of Fashion (UAL), an EU Craft Work Project expert, entrepreneurs, retailers, representatives from the Sri Lanka–UK Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Sri Lanka Association, writers, and craft enthusiasts.
High Commissioner Nimal Senadheera chaired the event. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the importance of crafts as a living tradition that embodies Sri Lanka’s cultural identity while contributing significantly to livelihoods and exports. He stressed the need to raise awareness, educate enthusiasts, and create stronger commercial channels while preserving authenticity of Sri Lankan crafts.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Dr. Ayesha Wickramasinghe, Chairperson of the NCC and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Textile and Apparel Engineering, University of Moratuwa. She outlined ongoing initiatives to preserve traditional crafts, promote innovation, and improve access to local and global markets. Her visit to the UK along with Dr. Sumith Gopura, who is also a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Textile and Apparel Engineering, University of Moratuwa and a member of the NCC Board of Directors, was made possible through the British Council’s “Connections through Culture” grant programmes under which she and her team was engaged in the project “Empowering Handloom Artistry”. The outcome of this project has been showcased through “Threaded Heritage” exhibition, at Cardiff Metropolitan University from 16th – 18th September 2025 and the University of Reading on 23rd September, who were the project partners from the UK.
The Q&A session, moderated by Minister (Commercial) Somasena Mahadiulwewa, highlighted challenges including funding, distribution, quality control, skilled craftsmanship, and export barriers such as limited HS codes and difficulties in customs clearance. Participants also stressed the need for stronger international promotion of Sri Lankan crafts.
A display of Threaded Heritage handloom apparel and crafts, showcasing Sri Lankan artistry complemented the event. This Round Table discussion provided a valuable platform to discuss practical challenges facing the arts and crafts industry and how the NCC intends to address such challenges, collaborating with the participants.
High Commission of Sri Lanka,
London,
24/09/2025
