NOTICE

August 6, 2019

Implementing free visa scheme for designated countries

Those who hold passports of listed countries and travel to Sri Lanka from 01.08.2019 to 31.01.2020 for tourist purposes are exempted paying ETA fee, in view of enhancing tourist arrivals from designated countries.

However, any foreign national who will be visiting Sri Lanka for a short period is required to apply ETA and ensure pre approval before the journey to avoid unnecessary delays at the port of entry and adhere with enhanced pre clearance. Read More »

Kandy Esala Perahera 5th to 14th August 2019

July 8, 2019

The Esela Procession of Kandy is the ostentatious pageant of the Asia held annually to respect the sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha which is honourably housed at the palace of Kandy called DaladaMaligawa. Representing a unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of many traditional local dances such as fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances. Elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments to honour the procession. Traditional event designers have properly synchronised the colours used for the procession with lighting to create more elegant and contrasted scene all over the procession.
 
Justifiably the most celebrated religious and cultural pageant in South Asia, the Kandy EsalaPerahera rings the goriest history of ancient Sri Lanka alive before your eyes. No other pageant anywhere else in Asia embodies so many historical cultural, political, spiritual and emotional elements of the nation. Beautifully caparisoned elephants, whip crackers and flame throwers, traditional dancers and drummers are some of the participants that threads through the old torch / lit streets in this truly exotic experience which has changed little over the centuries.
 
The Kandy EsalaPerahera begins with the KapSituveema, with a sanctified young Jackfruit tree (Artocarpusintegrifolia) is cut and planted in the premises of each of the four Devales (Shrines of Gods) dedicated to the four guardian gods Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama and the goddess Pattini. Traditionally it was meant to shower blessing on the King and the people. The festival ends with the traditional diya-kepeema ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy.

Vesak Celebrations at the Sri Lanka High Commission, Canberra

May 24, 2019

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra celebrated Vesak on 17th May 2019 with the participation of the Sri Lankan Community in Canberra.

This year’s Vesak Programme included a Dhamma Sermon conducted by Venerable Kotapola Upali Thero of the Sri Lanka Canberra Buddhist Vihara. At the end of the Sermon, the Thero transferred merit to the people who lost their lives and invoked blessing to the people who were affected by the tragic events in Sri Lanka. Read More »

Video Clip released by the Sri Lanka Army Headquarters on the 10th anniversary of the Humanitarian Operation

May 20, 2019

 

Media Release from the Sri Lanka Tourism (SLTDA & SLTPB)

April 26, 2019

Easter Sunday Attacks: Media Release from the Sri Lanka Tourism (SLTDA & SLTPB) with revised Contact numbers

Emergency Contact details in Sri Lanka

April 22, 2019

The following official can be Contacted with regard to any Consular and Media inquiries one the explosions that occurred on 21/04/2019 Sri Lanka

 Consular /Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka

  1. Mr. U.L. Mohommed Jauhar

Director General /Consular Affairs

Mobile:+94 774 513 222

 

  1. Ms. Sachini Dias

Assistant Director / Consular Affairs

Mobile : +94 766 230 974

 

 Media/Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka

  1.             Mrs. Saroja Sirisena

Director General / Public Diplomacy

Mobile : +94 777 328 8348

 

  1.  Mr. Niluka Kadurugamuwa

Director / Public Diplomacy

Mobile : +94 773 398 9623

 

  1.  Mr.Thulan Bandara

Assistant Director /Public Diplomacy

Mobile : +94 714 253 117

 

MEDIA RELEASE

April 22, 2019

Following the explosions that took place in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa, earlier today, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as deceased at the National Hospital in Colombo stands at eleven.  The fatalities are: three (03) from India, one (01) from Portugal, two (02) from Turkey, three (03) from the UK, and two (02) holding US and UK nationalities.

Additionally, while nine foreign nationals are reported missing, there are twenty five unidentified bodies believed to be of foreigners at the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer’s mortuary. Read More »

Tripitaka Week Observed in Canberra

March 25, 2019

A scholarly presentation on the Significance of Preserving the Pali Tripitaka by Most Venerable Ajhan Sujatho was held on 20, March 2019 at the Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara Canberra to mark the ‘Thripitakabhivandana’ Week of Sri Lanka (16th – 23rd March 2019) which was held in support of Sri Lanka’s application for inscribing the Pali Tripitaka in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

This event was organized by the Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra in collaboration with the Australia Sri Lanka Buddhist Association, Canberra. The High Commissioner H.E. S. Skandakumar in his welcome address elaborated the purpose of the event and thanked the Thero for taking time to travel to Canberra to conduct this presentation. Read More »

The Commonwealth team led by Sri Lanka High Commission wins the Anton Muthukumaru Trophy after 20 years

March 25, 2019

The annual cricket encounter for the Major General Anton Muthukumaru Trophy which is played between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia (DFAT) team and the team of the High Commissions of Commonwealth countries based in Canberra was held on 17th March 2019 at the Mint Oval, Deakin, Canberra. The DFAT, the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) and the Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra have been jointly organizing this event annually since 1966. Read More »

Information For Foreign Nationals Who Wish To Pursue Undergraduate Studies In Medicine At The Faculty of Medicine University of Colombo Sri Lanka

February 22, 2019

Information For Foreign Nationals Who Wish To Pursue Undergraduate Studies In Medicine At The Faculty of Medicine University of Colombo Sri Lanka

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Register with the High Commission

The Sri Lankan High Commission in Canberra would like to keep in touch with Sri Lankans and persons of Sri Lankan origin living in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and other Pacific Islands as well as Sri Lankan community organisations in those countries.

If you are a current/former Sri Lankan or an office bearer of a Sri Lankan community organisation we invite you to register with the High Commission.

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Sri Lanka High Commission
61, Hampton Circuit
Yarralumla
ACT 2600

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