The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Manisha Gunasekera, met with the Director-General of UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris recently (19 Dec) for a discussion on UNESCO’s emergency assistance and medium- to long-term support to Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah. 

According to the Embassy of Sri Lanka & Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to UNESCO in Paris, the Ambassador briefed the Director-General on the scale of the disaster and the Government’s rebuilding plan, and conveyed the Government’s appreciation for UNESCO’s prompt mobilization of emergency assistance under the Heritage Emergency Fund to support the stabilization and conservation of flood-damaged archival records. 

The Director-General extended condolences to the Government and people of Sri Lanka and reaffirmed UNESCO’s support and solidarity. He outlined UNESCO’s intention to pursue an integrated intersectoral response aligned with Sri Lanka’s needs, including cultural heritage recovery, education-sector support focusing on schools and psychosocial assistance, and technical cooperation to strengthen hydrological risk assessment and early warning systems through UNESCO’s scientific programmes. Support will be extended through UNESCO’s Regional Office in New Delhi. 

While conveying Sri Lanka’s best wishes on his election and assumption of office, the Ambassador handed over a congratulatory message from Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath, and reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to supporting the mandate of UNESCO. 

The Director-General expressed appreciation to the Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO, Harini Amarasuriya, and to Minister Vijitha Herath, for Sri Lanka’s continued engagement with UNESCO. 

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the UNESCO Secretariat, including the Chief of Section for Crisis Preparedness and Response, Ahmed Zaouche; the Chief of Section for Relations with Member States, Omar Monieb; and the Chief of Unit for Asia and the Pacific, Priority Africa and External Relations Sector, Manh Ha Tran. The Ambassador was accompanied by the Minister/UNESCO of the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka, Rifa Wadood. (Newswire)

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A proposal to reopen an old gravel road through the Knuckles Conservation Forest to restore access to the Meemure area has drawn concern from the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO, citing potential risks to the Central Highlands’ World Heritage status.

In a letter addressed to relevant authorities, Secretary General Prof. Prabhath Jayasinghe stressed the need to balance humanitarian access following recent road damage with long-term environmental and heritage obligations.

The proposed route, running from Teldeniya-Thangappuwa to Attalawettuwa, would cut through the ecologically sensitive Knuckles Reserve, which forms part of the UNESCO-listed Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, alongside Horton Plains and Sripada.

Prof. Jayasinghe warned that any road development through the reserve could undermine the site’s Outstanding Universal Value, a key criterion for its World Heritage designation. He further noted that the UNESCO Regional Office in New Delhi has already made inquiries regarding the project, indicating heightened international scrutiny.

“If these concerns are not addressed, Sri Lanka risks the Central Highlands being placed on UNESCO’s danger list or even losing its World Heritage status altogether,” Jayasinghe stated. Such outcomes, he cautioned, could carry significant environmental, diplomatic, and economic consequences.

Amid increasing international interest following the recent disaster, several development partners have expressed willingness to support relief and recovery efforts. The National Commission stressed that local actions must align with Sri Lanka’s environmental commitments to maintain donor confidence and avoid perceptions of weak heritage protection.

The Commission has called for a thorough evaluation of alternative emergency access routes in consultation with the Department of Forest Conservation, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and UNESCO representatives before moving forward with the road project.

Prof. Jayasinghe also stressed that the urgent needs of affected communities and the country’s heritage responsibilities should be addressed in a balanced and integrated manner. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s centuries-old practice of Kithul Madeema, the traditional method of tapping sap from the kithul palm, has been added to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Known locally as Kithul Madeema or Kithul Kapeema, the practice is deeply rooted in rural Sri Lankan communities. It involves collecting sap from the Caryota urens tree, commonly known as the kithul palm, found in forests and home gardens.

The process requires significant skill and care. Tappers climb the tall palm using ladders, bind the flower stalk with vines, and make precise cuts using a sacred tapping knife.

The sap is collected daily and filtered, then boiled for several hours to produce kithul treacle—also referred to as kithul honey. The sap is also used to make jaggery, vinegar, and traditional alcoholic beverages, or consumed fresh.

UNESCO’s designation highlights the urgent need to safeguard this indigenous technology, which faces the risk of decline due to modernization, deforestation, and reduced generational transmission of skills. (Newswire)

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Minister of Education, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa, has been appointed as the Vice Chairperson of the Commission. The appointments were made on Tuesday (29) at the Ministry of Education in Battaramulla, with the participation of the Prime Minister.

The Commission has been established with the primary objective of facilitating collaboration among all relevant ministries in implementing UNESCO’s key focus areas of education, science, culture, mass communication, social sciences, and the environment in line with national development goals.

The appointed members of the Commission are;

Subject matter experts – 

• Dr. Asha de Vos, Chandra Wickramasinghe, Dr. V.V. Madawattegedara, and Saminathan Vimal.
• Secretary General of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO – Professor Prabath Jayasinghe
• Secretary to the Ministry – Nalaka Rathnayaka

Other members include;

• Hemanta Pubudusiri
• Shashikala Premawardhana
• Samanthi Senanayake
• Apsara Caldera
• Mohamed Nawaz
• R.A.D.S. Ranatunga
• W.G. Kumaragama
• Sujeewa Palliyaguruge
• Deepa Liyanage
• H.A.H. Perera
• S.S.P. de Alwis
• Varuna Sri Dhanapala
• W.W.M.P.S.C. Palamkumbura
• M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe
• Dr Nilan Cooray
• Sanuja Kasthuriarachchi. (Newswire)

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Several documents linked to Sri Lanka have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

The register consists of documentary collections including books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, sound or video recordings, which bear witness to the shared heritage of humanity.

Collections are added to the register by decision of UNESCO’s Executive Board, following the evaluation of nominations by an independent international advisory committee.

According to UNESCO, the following documents have been added to its Memory of the World Register.

• Trilingual Inscription (TribhashaSellipiya)

Submitters: China and Sri Lanka.

The Trilingual Inscription is a stone tablet with Chinese, Persian and Tamil inscriptions, praising Buddha, God Vishnu and Allah. Discovered in 1911 in Sri Lanka by a British engineer, it is now preserved in the Colombo National Museum, with a replica exhibited in the Galle National Museum. Dated 15th February 1409, the tablet was installed by the Chinese Admiral Zheng He. Originally inscribed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjingin, it was brought to Sri Lanka during his third voyage. The text mentions offerings made to a sacred mountain shrine. This is the only trilingual inscription having texts in Chinese, Tamil and Persian, which represent three different regions and cultures.

• Documents Connected with the Pānadurā Vādaya (The Great Debate of Panadura) in 1873

Submitter: Sri Lanka.

The four documents, kept at the Rankot Viharaya Buddhist temple in Panadura, hold immense historical, cultural, spiritual, and intellectual value. Created against the backdrop of religious discord between Buddhists and Christians in the mid-19th century, they consist of correspondence between the Christian and Buddhist leaders advocating for an open dialogue on doctrinal issues, as well as a transcription of the entire dialogue. This transcription spans 27 and a half pages of handwritten text on paper using ink. The event fostered reconciliation and mutual respect between the two religious communities. The English translations, later made available in Europe and the US, had a significant impact on religious activists and scholars in those countries, contributing to the recognition of Buddhism as an advanced religion.

Full list – https://www.unesco.org/en/memory-world/register2025 (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says UNESCO’s initiative to protect the historic Sacred City of Anuradhapura should be appreciated, emphasizing that Anuradhapura is not only a Sri Lankan heritage but of universal value.

PM Amarasuriya made these remarks while addressing the International Expert Conference on ‘An Integrated and Sustainable Approach to Safeguarding the World Heritage Property of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka’ which was convened at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 01 April.

According to the PM’s office, the summit, representing the partnership between UNESCO and Sri Lanka,  brought together international experts to discuss sustainable strategies for conserving Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage site with significant cultural and historical value.

PM Amarasuriya revealed that the Sri Lankan Government plans to develop three cities, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, and Kandy, as heritage cities in Sri Lanka.

She further conveyed deep condolences of Sri Lanka to the Government and people of Myanmar and Thailand, affected by the recent powerful earthquake.

The summit was attended by the Director of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs of Sri Lanka, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, including a group of representatives of both the Sri Lanka and UNESCO delegations.

The full statement of PM Harini Amarasuriya at the UNESCO International Summit in France;

I consider it a special privilege to have this opportunity to visit UNESCO when Sri Lanka is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its partnership with the organization.

We celebrated last July with a productive visit to Sri Lanka by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, and it’s culminating today in Paris with the convening of this expert conference on Anuradhapura, one of the most revered heritage sites and cultural treasures in the world.

This conference provides us with a unique opportunity to reflect upon aspects of Sri Lanka’s long-standing collaboration with UNESCO, a partnership that has reinforced and enriched our shared vision of advancing intercultural dialogue, heritage conservation, education, sustainable development, and technological progress.

In this backdrop, where it requires ensuring the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations, UNESCO’s role as a global leader is more relevant than ever. This timely initiative, gathering the world’s experts on heritage conservation, provides a critical platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, technical collaboration, and resource mobilization, thus reinforcing our collective responsibility to protect and sustain this invaluable cultural legacy for future generations. 

In Sri Lanka, the ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa stand at heritage sites located in the cultural triangle, conserved with the support of UNESCO since the 1980s, which goes back to the long-standing partnership.

We also need to be very conscious that heritage, history and archeology have been weaponized in the past by resistance groups to divide our people for narrow political games. The government rejects racism and strives to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of cultures and traditions of Sri Lanka and bring people together. (Newswire)

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The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Audrey Azoulay who is on an official visit to the island, participated in the celebratory event to mark the 75th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s membership in UNESCO.

‘When I look at the history of cooperation between Sri Lanka and UNESCO, I am struck by your country’s remarkable engagement in our organization,” Azoulay said addressing the event. 

“In 1968, Sri Lanka was elected as a member of our Organization’s Executive Board, a position it also holds today. As such, it not only participates in our activity here in Sri Lanka, but it also contributes to the definition of our strategy at the global level,” she added.

Azoulay, who is on the island until the 19th, called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and is scheduled to meet a number of leaders during her visit. (Newswire)

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UNESCO has awarded its 2024 World Press Freedom Prize to Palestinian journalists, honouring their bravery and dedication in covering the ongoing conflict. 

Chair of the award’s jury Mauricio Weibel highlighted the “solidarity and recognition” for these journalists who continue to report despite the grave risks involved. 

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s Director General commended their courage amidst “difficult and dangerous circumstances”.

The ongoing conflict in the region has been marked by a high casualty rate among journalists, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting the deaths of 97 press members since last October.

The violence was triggered by a major offensive on October 7 by Hamas, leading to widespread devastation and a heavy death toll in Gaza, as reported by local health authorities. (Newswire/ AFP)

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Sri Lanka has been elected to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the term 2023-2027.

Issuing a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sri Lanka was elected during the 42nd General Conference of the inter-governmental organization held in Paris this week (Nov 15).

Sri Lanka obtained 144 votes out of 188 member states voting at the said election, co-securing the 3rd highest vote count from the region, with Bangladesh. 

The member states of UNESCO elected 6 members, out of 9 candidates from the Asia-Pacific Region, to the UNESCO Executive Board. 

The other countries who were elected from the region are Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Republic of Korea and Australia. Sri Lanka last served on the Executive Board from 2015 to 2019.

UNESCO contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information. It also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Sri Lanka’s membership in UNESCO in 1949, soon after its independence, is demonstrative of the country’s firm commitment to the values and principles upheld by UNESCO to promote collaboration among nations through education, science and culture, to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms of the peoples of the world.

Since its inception, Sri Lanka has played a significant role and made a proactive contribution towards the furtherance of the mandate of UNESCO. Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO is the government arm for implementing the UNESCO Agenda in Sri Lanka, under the guidance of the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Paris and the Ministry of Education (National focal point) is pleased to have spearheaded the successful effort to ensure Sri Lanka’s election to UNESCO Executive Board.

The Foreign Ministry added that it is notable that in the past months, Sri Lanka has been successful in consecutively being elected to 3 UN bodies/committees: Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW), and the UNESCO Executive Board. (NewsWire)

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