Category: News

 

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom together with the Sri Lankan Lawyers Tsunami Charity hosted a commemorative event for the 20^th Anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on 19 December 2024 at the High Commission premises.

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Sri Lanka High Commissioner in the United Kingdom His Excellency Rohitha Bogollagama called on Mr. Archie Norman, Chairman of Marks & Spencer (M&S) on 27^th November 2024, London. High Commissioner Bogollagama was accompanied by the High Commission officials. While briefing on the recent positive changes in Sri Lanka etc, High Commissioner Bogollagama stressed the importance of Sri Lanka being considered from multiple sources of exports to the UK and M&S, covering apparel and the food industry. Today, M&S grown to be a multifaceted retailer in the UK with a gigantic platform for sourcing of goods across the world, not only for clothing, fashion products, but also for food items.

 

High Commissioner Bogollagama invited M&S on Sri Lanka supply chain to source of food as a new area from Sri Lanka, including fresh fruits, processed food, coconut products and Ceylon Tea etc, being introduced through falling new investment. With regard to the fresh fruits, it was mentioned the interest of M&S to develop trade links with Sri Lankan high quality Mango, Pineapple, Avocado, Durians, Soursop etc, and to connect with M&S supply chain to be as sustainable as well as with year around supply.  

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A cyclists team led by the UK’s Urology Foundation is due to commence its cycling tour “Dream Challenge: Cycle Sri Lanka” in Sri Lanka on 28^th November 2024. The team comprises 16 cyclists from the UK urologists representing the UK Urology Foundation and other diverse professionals. The 10-day adventure from 28 November to 07^th December 2024 begins from Negombo and will follow through Kitulgala, Kotagala, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Kandy, Peradeniya, Matale, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Trincomalee, finishing up in Negombo.

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Sri Lanka’s biggest ever country pavilion was declared open at the World Travel Mart (WTM) on 5 November 2024 at ExCel London, United Kingdom by Her Grace Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland under the theme of “You will come back for more”. She was joined by High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the UK Rohitha Bogollagama, Her Royal Highness Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia,  The Rt Hon Lord Naseby, The Lord Marland Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, other officials of Sri Lanka Tourism and distinguished guests representing the UK travel trade. 105 tour and travel companies and hoteliers are representing Sri Lanka this year at the WTM, the largest contingent to date.

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Executive members of the Sri Lanka Leukemia Foundation- UK (SLLFUK), were invited by HE Rohitha Bogollagama, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in the UK, at the meeting of the Advisory Council of Sri Lanka’s Interest of the High Commission, together with the selected members of the Sri Lankan business, professional and community organizations established in the UK, held on 25.10.2024 at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.

During the meeting, High Commissioner Bogollagama introduced the SLLFUK among the participants and encouraged council members to support SLLFUK’s cause. High Commissioner said that “I want to propagate this foundation from the UK it has been for nearly 20 years and when I met them in a fund-raising event, I thought we have to give them a greater opportunity to raise funds out of the UK to benefit Leukemia patients back in Sri Lanka”. High Commissioner also further said that “for that purpose I thought of bringing them to interact with our colleagues here and then we can gradually expand the fund-raising process”.

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HE Rohitha Bogollagama, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom made the following statement to the Advisory Council of Sri Lanka’s Interests (ACSLI) of the High Commission on the travel advisories on Sri Lanka on 25 October 2024.

“Today I thought of having the first Advisory Council Meeting under the new administration of His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. One of the items I thought of reflecting at the meeting is the issuance of Travel Advisories on Sri Lanka by six countries i.e. US, UK, Russia, Australia, Isreal, New Zealand. In terms of the substance, relevance and the nature of the Advisories, we find that these advisories are limited, in the wider interest of Israelis, and authored by the US and echoed by key countries such as UK, Australia and New Zealand. The substance direct more on the Israeli line, the Israeli interests and the visitors and that of the locations which the Israeli reside. Unfortunately, these advisories have received wide publication and publicity as these have been broadcasted on US media.

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Sri Lanka participated at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 held in Apia, Samoa from 24- 26 October 2024. The theme of the CHOGM 2024 was “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth”. The Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 independent states, is one of the world’s oldest political association of states that work together towards the shared goals of peace, democracy and prosperity.  The organization is home to approximately 2.7 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries.

During the CHOGM 2024, the Leaders’ Statement, the Samoa CHOGM 2024 Communiqué and the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration were adopted. The leaders also selected Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ghana, as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

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On 21.10.2024, High Commissioner Rohitha Bogollagama, together with the officials of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in United Kingdom, visited Fortnum & Mason (F&M) Head Office in London and met with Mr. Tom Athron, the CEO and Ms. Ottilie Cunningham, Tea & Coffee Buyer of F&M who recently visited Sri Lanka to source high quality Ceylon Tea.

The objective of the meeting was to promote Sri Lanka’s main and high-quality processed food export products to F&M. High Commissioner Bogollagama introduced products with a presentation on the potential export brands of Sri Lanka and encouraged F&M to engage with Sri Lanka’s processed food export portfolio.

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