• 14.02.2020 - 15:16

Sri Lanka Food Festival 2020, Turkey concluded in a high note in Ankara and historic city of Istanbul.  The Embassy of Sri Lanka, Ankara coincide with the 72nd Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Hilton hotel Colombo, Qatar Airways, Swiss Hotel in Ankara, Hotel Anemon Galata, Istanbul and Beta Tea House, Istanbul organized Sri Lanka Food Festival 2020 Ankara segment from 04th—05th  February and Istanbul segment from 8th -10th February.

The Chairman of Turkey- Sri Lanka Inter Parliamentary Friendship Group Ahmet Hamdi Camli inaugurated the Ankara segment of the Sri Lanka Food festival which held at Swiss hotel. Deputy Chairman of the Turkey- Sri Lanka Inter Parliamentary Friendship Group, Husret Dinc, Heads of business chambers in Ankara, representatives prominent business conglomerates, representatives of political parties, diplomatic corps, officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government institutions attended at the inauguration. 

Popular and enticing Sri Lankan cuisines hoppers, ghee ice, devilled prawns, spicy crab curry, Ambulthiyal and Kotthu roti attracted the attendees. The chief guest, Ahmet Hamdi Camli along with the Ambassador Rizvi Hassen joined with the two Chefs Amila Boteju and Asanka Kumara of Hilton Colombo for Kotthu roti making demonstration. A live solo Sri Lankan music performance by Sri Lankan student studying at Tbilisi Medical University, Tharuka Fernando entertained the gathering with Sri Lankan songs.    

Addressing the gathering Chief Guest, Ahmet Hamdi Çamlı conveyed the greetings of the Turkish President and the Foreign Minister and stated that the opportunity to taste the Sri Lanka cuisine will  help to understand the Sri Lankan culture. He added that he and Turkey- Sri Lanka Inter Parliamentary Friendship Group will soon visit Sri Lanka to experience the same in Sri Lanka.

Further, the Embassy for the first time organized a Sri Lanka Food Festival in the heart of Istanbul’s’ bustling historic peninsula, yet at a most unassuming and most popular locations, Hotel Anemon Galata on 8th -9th February and on 10th at the Beta Tea House, a historic inn first (known) place where coffee was roasted and processed in Istanbul, the once-beating heart of the multicultural Ottoman Empire.

Mr. Faik Tunay, a former Parliamentarian and member of Parliament Foreign Relations Committee addressing the gathering at the Anemon Galata event said that food could be a unifiying element between people and cultures and expressed his wish for the event to contribute to the development of  people to people contacts between Turkey and Sri Lanka.

Mayor of Fatih district of Istanbul Ergün Turan, during the event at BETA Tea House  said that the deep rooted relationship between the two brotherly nations carry their relationship with mutual trust and respect and support each other on various international platforms. He further added that two countries share the same memory and appreciated that gastronomy will allow Turkish people to discover Sri Lanka and it is important to bridge the cultures.

Ambassador M Rizvi Hassen addressing the gathering stated that Mission organized series of events in Ankara, Istanbul and Trabzon during the month of February, the month of Independence to showcase Sri Lanka in Turkey.  This is the first time the Embassy organized a food festival in the nerve center of the Turkey, Istanbul and more promotional events will organized in the coming months.

For the first time in after establishment of the Mission in Turkey, as a friendly gesture by Istanbul Municipality and the Galata Tower management, the historic Galata Tower in Istanbul was light up with colours of Sri Lanka national flag and greetings for the 72nd anniversary of Independence which attracted thousands of visitors to the Galata tower and its vicinity.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Ankara, Turkey
12.02.2020