The Sri Lankan High Commissioner for the UK, His Excellency Dr Chris Nonis, was awarded the “Diplomat of the Year” for Asia, at the Annual Diplomat Awards Ceremony at the Langham Hotel in London last night, in the presence of the Diplomatic Community. This is the first time a Sri Lankan High Commissioner has won this award, which is chosen from the 164 Embassies and Diplomatic Missions in London.

Hugo De Blocq Van Kuffeler in his introduction to the Diplomat Awards ceremony stated that

“Yet another year has passed us, leaving us at an extraordinary time in world history, more complex and challenging trials for its citizens to cope with, and for its Diplomats to resolve. In a year that has seen dramatic shifts in International power, it appears that the modern Diplomat needs to be an expert in conflict resolution, poverty alleviation, climate change as well as government PR and Nation branding. The scale of global challenges facing us today, economic, social, environmental, and security weigh upon us all. There has been more states in conflict in the past 12 months since the 2nd World war, and yet Diplomacy is more important than ever. Governments must believe that diplomacy should displace defence at the core of International policy, and so the role of the diplomat is as important as ever. Despite the conveniences of modern technology, the tact, persuasiveness, influence and guile, of a great Diplomat is far more effective than an email or letter. Diplomacy is the brain of a Nation. It is been said that the quality of a Nation’s diplomacy is its direction and weight, and so it is important that we appreciate the great conductors of Diplomacy this evening. Already dealing with one of the most intense workloads in 2012, Diplomats posted in London will face a year when almost every country will have a delegation visiting the capital for Her Majesty's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and London's 2012 Olympics.

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The High Commission of Sri Lanka in London is in the process of organising a Vesak Lantern Competition to be held on 05.05.2012 (Vesak Full Moon Poya Day) at the High Commission premises coinciding with the Vesak Festival 2012.

Individuals / organisations who are interested in participation are kindly requested to register their interest with the High Commission on or before 01.05.2012, either by calling or sending an e-mail using the following telephone numbers / e-mail addresses.


Telephone:

(Office Line) 0207 2621841 Ext. 286
(Mobile)  07554422046

Email:

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High Commission of Sri Lanka
London

23.04.2012

The Government of Sri Lanka awards 100 scholarships for foreign students who wish to follow undergraduate or postgraduate courses at state universities in Sri Lanka.

Duly completed applications of eligible candidates along with certified copies of relevant certificates should be forwarded to this High Commission to reach on or before 25.05.2012 for their onward transmission to the Ministry of Higher Education in Sri Lanka.

Details of the scholarship programme and the application form could be downloaded from the Ministry of Higher Education of Sri Lanka website: www.mohe.gov.lk.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in London held a full day mobile service at Hazel Wick School in Crawley on 15th April 2012 to provide consular services to the Sri Lankan community living in Crawley area. The services included registration of births, renewal of passports, issuance of temporary travel documents, acceptance of applications for new passports and various other consular services.

This was organized under the guidance of Mr. Chaminda Kularatne (Attorney-at-Law) Head of the Consular and Immigration Division of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in London and at the request of "Sri Lanka Muslim Diaspora Initiative UK" Association, which is spread across Britain

You are a strong and valuable vote of confidence in Sri Lanka; an expression of growing trust in the new opportunities for export trade in a country that was famous for international trade from ancient days, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Addressing "Sri Lanka Expo 2012”, organized by the Export Development Board (EDB) at the BMICH this morning, the President said the presence of investors here today shows the failure of the efforts of those who still support the agenda of separatist terror that prevented development in Sri Lanka for more than three decades.

You are here today, with a measure of confidence in Sri Lanka that has not been diminished by false propaganda that is currently spread by those who are trying to prevent investment flowing to our country and the large international presence at this event is a clear indication of the growing awareness in the world of the new investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, said the President.

"Sri Lanka is in the midst of peace won at great sacrifice. We are progressing on the path of peace and reconciliation. Our government is committed to walk that extra mile to establish permanent peace through reconciliation. That is our commitment to our people and no one has to tell us what to do," President further said.

Here is the full text of the speech:

I am indeed very pleased to be present at this most important occasion for Sri Lanka that marks a major stride in the progress of Business in our country.

I understand that this mega event has been much looked forward to by the Sri Lankan and foreign business communities for the opportunity it presents to show the world of the new prospects for trade, investment and development activities in Sri Lanka and the opportunity for valuable participation in the new progress so evident in Sri Lanka today.

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It is a matter of great satisfaction to us that 15 countries voted with Sri Lanka, despite the intensity of pressure, in a variety of forms, exerted on them all. We convey to them our warm thanks and deep appreciation.

We also thank sincerely the 8 countries which, by abstaining, declined to support the Resolution.

With 15 countries voting with Sri Lanka, and 8 countries abstaining, the final result was that 23 countries, out of a total of 47 members of the Human Rights Council, did not support the Resolution, while 24 supported it. The margin was as narrow as this.

The most distressing feature of this experience is the obvious reality that voting at the Human Rights Council is now determined not by the merits of a particular issue but by strategic alliances and domestic political issues in other countries which have nothing to do with the subject matter of a Resolution or the best interests of the country to which the Resolution relates. This is a cynical negation of the purposes for which the Human Rights Council was established.

Many countries which voted with Sri Lanka were acutely conscious of the danger of setting a precedent which enables ad hoc intervention by powerful countries in the internal affairs of other nations. This is a highly selective and arbitrary process not governed by objective norms or criteria of any kind. The implications of this were not lost on many countries.

As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, our policy in respect of all matters will continue to be guided by the vital interests and wellbeing of the people of our country. It hardly requires emphasis that this cannot yield place to any other consideration.

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations
Geneva

22 March 2012

The High Commission of Sri Lanka regrets that, once again, Channel 4 chose not to share the video footage or any of the other material upon which it purports to have relied, prior to broadcast. This denied the High Commission of Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka the rightful opportunity to address any concerns raised. This appears to be a continuation of the approach adopted by Channel 4 in its broadcast last year. That broadcast was severely criticised by many including the Sunday Times UK, which described the commentary to the broadcast as “intemperate and partisan” and rightly pointed out that most of the footage which was used was unattributed and uncorroborated.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka regrets Channel 4’s continuing hostile and biased editorial position with regard to its reporting on Sri Lanka. Channel 4 chooses to focus its attention on a number of highly spurious and uncorroborated allegations and seeks -entirely falsely- to implicate members of the Sri Lankan government and senior military figures.

The High Commission categorically rejects the malicious allegations made by ITN Productions and Channel 4. Indeed, we note that much of the footage shown in last night’s broadcast is highly repetitious, having simply been recycled from Channel 4’s previous and discredited broadcast last year. The timing of this programme is nothing more than a cynical and concerted attempt to assist in gathering support for a resolution calling for action on Sri Lanka, tabled at the ongoing 19th Session of the Human Rights Council. As with their previous pattern of behaviour, Channel 4's airing of this biased, deeply misleading video at this time is not coincidental but is strategically driven and clearly motivated by collateral political considerations.

The country is finally moving on following nearly three decades of conflict inflicted on it by the LTTE, which it should be remembered was outlawed as a terrorist organization by many countries including India, the UK, the United States and the European Union. Regrettably, Channel 4 has apparently chosen to ignore the many positive post-conflict developments now taking place in the country. This approach inevitably gives Channel 4 viewers a very distorted and unbalanced view of Sri Lanka and only serves to harm the ongoing and comprehensive reconciliation process between all communities in Sri Lanka, in the post-conflict era.

High Commission of Sri Lanka
London

15 March 2012

A special inter-faith ceremony was held at the Lambeth Palace in London to mark the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth11 on 15 Feb 2012.Ven.Bogoda Seelawimala Thera the Chief incumbent of the London Buddhist Vihara , headed the Buddhist delegation.He presented a small stupa to the Queen . The picture shows the chief monk describing the features of the stupa to the Queen as Archbishop Dr. Rowan Williems , Ajahn Amarao the Abbot of the Amaravathi Monastarary and Dr Desmond Biddulph, the President of the Buddhist Society look on.This silver stupa was imbedded with valuble Srilankan gems was donated by Mr. Kosala Ratnayaka of Kandy.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka

London

Dr. Chris Nonis addresses the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council at the British Parliament

Sri Lankan High Commissioner for the U.K., H.E. Dr. Chris Nonis addressed the Conservative Foreign & Commonwealth Council, chaired by Sir Ronald Halstead, which provides a forum for discussion of International Foreign relations, and the promotion of greater understanding and awareness amongst Conservative Party members and activists, in the House of Lords building of the British Parliament. The patrons of this society include The Rt. Hon William Hague MP, Foreign Secretary; The Rt. Hon Sir John Major KG, CH; The Rt. Hon Lord Howe of Aberavon QC; The Rt. Hon Baroness Chalker of Wallasey and The Rt. Hon Lord Hurd of Westwell CH CBE; and whose President is Sir Malcolm Rifkind, KCMG, QC.

The Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council members applauded the progress made by Sri Lanka in the post-conflict era, the comprehensive LLRC Report, its recommendations and implementation programme. Dr. Chris Nonis in his keynote address called on the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council to look beyond the inflammatory rhetoric of the agents of separatism with collateral agendas, and the imperative that the people of the UK do not fall prey to covert pressure from extremely well-funded lobby groups who use coercive measures for fundraising, and subsequently use their funds to influence opinion leaders, think tanks, and legislators, but who are in reality surrogates for the extreme rump of terrorism. He reiterated that this was anathema to the fundamental democratic values which we all cherish.

(From L to R) Mr. Jonathan Webber MBE, Director International Trade, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce,Mr. Nasir Awan, President , Institute of Asian Businesses,Dr. Chris Nonis H.E the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Mrs. Sonali Wijeratne, Minister (Commercial) Sri Lanka High Commission,Mr. Jerry Blackett, Chief Executive Officer , Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

The Sri Lanka High Commission , London UK organized a targeted programme of promoting Expo 2012 with lead Organizations in Birmingham and London on 15/16 Feb. 2012 in support of the visit of the UK Trade Mission to Colombo for Expo 2012.

Dr. Chris Nonis, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka visited the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and addressed the members of that Chamber and a well represented gathering of the West Midlands Chambers of Commerce and the Institute of Asian Business of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. He emphasised the overall positive economic indices of the country, the burgeoning opportunities arising in the wake of the economic developmental potential unleashed in the areas of the North and the East of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the restoration of peace and normalcy. In addition to the progress made in reconstruction programme, he also took the opportunity to highlight the comprehensive ongoing reconciliation programmes undertaken.