Colombo: The closing ceremony of the serial events “Chinese Culture Meets Students in Sri Lanka” and the award ceremony of the “China Through My Eyes” event have been held in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. A total of 48 Sri Lankan primary and secondary school students were awarded prizes on Thursday for essay writing, calligraphy, paper cutting, and painting competitions.
According to Namibia Press Agency, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, stated at the closing ceremony that the friendship between Sri Lanka and China is long-standing. He emphasized that the event provided opportunities for Sri Lankan students to understand China and Chinese culture, which is conducive to promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two countries.
Ji Lili, counselor of the Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka, remarked that both China and Sri Lanka have long histories and splendid cultures, and the friendship between the two nations has strengthen
ed in recent years through expanding and deepening exchanges and collaborations in various fields. She encouraged all participating students to continue their studies and contribute to the friendly exchanges between the two nations in the future.
Indrananda Abeysekera, president of the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation, highlighted that the activity is the largest among all the events the association has organized, with the most significant number of participating students and schools. He emphasized the responsibility of the younger generation in strengthening Sri Lanka-China cultural relations.
Sri Lankan student Imashi Kawya Dasanayaka expressed her enthusiasm, noting, “China is one of the biggest countries in the world and it has many different arts and cultures. My dream is to study and travel in China and I feel like I’m one step closer to my dream.”
The series of activities commenced in May at 11 Sri Lankan primary and secondary schools, showcasing Chinese traditional cu
lture such as calligraphy, paper cutting, and martial arts, and featuring photo exhibitions on Chinese culture and Chinese book donations.