Expo 2015 launched: Sri Lanka to connect more to the west
View(s):Sri Lanka participated at the launch of World Expo in Milano, Italy opened by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on May 1, a release issued by the local authorities stated.
This year’s event which is expected to attract over a 20 million people will be on show until the October 31 under the theme “Feed the World” given the challenges the world is up against.
Sri Lanka was represented by the Charge d Affairs for Sri Lanka in Italy Poshitha Perera, Commissioner General Expo -Sri Lanka Dr. Rohantha Athukorala and the Deputy Commissioner General D.W Jinadasa.
At the opening of the Sri Lanka Pavilion, the Charge d Affairs for Italy Poshitha Perera said it was very timely that Sri Lanka further strengthened its partnership with the west given the strong trade and business that had taken place between Sri Lanka the western part of the world as per government policy.
He commended the seven key state agencies- Sri Lanka Tourism, EDB, Sri Lanka Tea Board, National Gem and Jewelry Authority, the BOI, SriLankan Airlines and Craft Council are working in unison under the Commissioner General to project brand Sri Lanka. Commissioner General Rohantha Athukorala said that Sri Lanka should focus on the macro global trends in the world market and strategise how the country can capture them.”
Mr. Athukorala who is also the Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau noted that Sri Lanka needs to align with speed and works to make the country the power house of South Asia.
Currently Sri Lanka is valued at US$61 billion as per Brand finance (UK) and it is poised to cross a US$80 billion dollars plus in the next two years given that the drag on this value in the past was on the pivotal area of ‘Governance’, the media release revealed.
The focus for the the month of May for Sri Lanka at Expo 2015 will be Tourism with the Minister for Tourism and Sports Navin Dissanayake scheduled to visit the event.