Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister: "Expo Dubai" is a great opportunity to highlight the beauty of our country

“Pearl of the Indian Ocean” .. Music tells the story of the land of cinnamon

• Photography: Patrick Castillo

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Jamini Lakshman Peirce, stressed that "Expo 2020 Dubai" constitutes a wonderful opportunity and a prominent global platform to enhance the position of his country as an important tourist destination.

He added, during his visit to the site "Expo 2020 Dubai" to attend the celebration of the international event on the National Day of Sri Lanka, the day before yesterday, that "the warmth and hospitality with which the Sri Lankan people receive their visitors represent strengths that make the Southeast Asian country an important tourist destination," pointing out that The exhibition represents a wonderful opportunity for his country, which has a lot of capabilities and potentials.

Sri Lanka celebrated its National Day at Expo 2020 in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who inaugurated a series of cultural events on the sidelines of the occasion, including a performance entitled “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, an elegantly designed dance piece of music that showcases the history of Sri Lanka from its beginning to the present day.

Jamini Lakshman-Piers added: "Expo 2020 Dubai represents a great opportunity for a country that has a lot to offer, Sri Lanka has many strengths, and we welcomed here an important opportunity to showcase those points and capabilities to the world."

He explained, "There is warmth and hospitality in our people, which are in fact important points for tourism, and there is also the dazzling beauty of the islands, which represents a cultural heritage, in addition to our exports that we are proud of."

He stated that Sri Lankan spices are one of the most famous spices in the world, and Sri Lanka contributes about 85% of the world's cinnamon production.

He stressed that the presence of about 300,000 Sri Lankans in the UAE helps strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries at the official and popular levels.

He added: "Sri Lankans in the UAE feel that they are at home and contribute to the UAE economy, and we are happy and satisfied with this solid relationship between the two peoples, which adds an important dimension to the relations between the two countries."

• 85% of the world's cinnamon production comes from Sri Lanka.

• 300 thousand people, the number of the Sri Lankan community in the UAE.

Jamini Pierce:

• "Sri Lankans in the UAE feel at home... and are happy with the close relationship between the two countries."

Tourists

Statistics from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Tourism indicate that more than 104,000 people flocked to the country between January and November 2021. India represented the largest source of tourists visiting Sri Lanka, with 32.1% last November, compared to about 8.5% from Britain, about 8% from Russia and 6% from Germany.