Delegation to UNESCO
Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to UNESCO
H. E . Mr. Lionel Fernando
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to France
Permanent Delegate to UNESCO
Mr Lionel Fernando presented the letter of accreditation as Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO to Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on December 31, 2008.
Mrs. Priyanga Wickramasinghe
Second Secretary
Contact details
Address :
UNESCO,
M 2.08 - 2.09
1, rue Miollis
75732 Paris Cedex 15
France
Telephone :
+33 1 45 68 30 30
+33 1 45 68 30 40
Fax : +33 1 47 83 29 45
E-mail : dl.sri-lanka@unesco.org
Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO
Hon. Susil Premajayantha
Minister of Education and Chairman of the National Commission
Mr. Ariyaratne Hewage
Secretary, Ministry of Education and Vice Chairman of the National Commission
Mr. R. Prithi Perera
Secretary General
Mr. K. Prasanna Chandith
Deputy Secretary General.
Contact details
Address :
Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO
National Institute of Education Complex
Maharagama
Sri Lanka
Telephone :
+94 11 27 45 178 (General)
+94 11 27 45 179 (Secretary General)
Fax : +94 11 27 45 180
E-mail : slncu@slt.lk
Sri Lanka in UNESCO
Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on 14 November 1949 soon after our independence in 1948, even before its membership with the United Nations Organization (UN) in 14 December 1955.
The UNESCO membership consists of 193 Member States out which 58 Member States comprise the Executive Board, to which Members States are elected every 4 years at the General Conference in October.
Sri Lanka was elected to the Executive Board for a consecutive second term from 2008-2011 at the recently concluded General Conference in October. Sri Lanka 's current representative to the Board is the Minster of Education Hon Susil Premajayantha.
Sri Lanka has served on the Executive Board on 4 earlier occasions as follows:
* 1968-1974 Mr Frederick de Silva
* 1987-1989 Mr Nissanka Parakrama Wijeyeratne
* 1989-1991 Mr Ananda P Guruge
* 2003-2007 Mr Karunasena Kodituwakku, Mr Mangala Samaraweera
The General Conference assembles all the Member States of UNESCO every four years in October. H. E. Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga former President of Sri Lanka was a special invitee at the inauguration of the 33 rd Session of the General Conference in October 2005.
Sri Lanka is a member of the following subsidiary bodies of the General Conference UNESCO:
* Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC)
* Intergovernmental Council of the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme
* International Coordinating Council of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB)
* Executive Council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
he UNESCO Office in New Delhi oversees Sri Lanka and coordinates the ground work between the UNESCO Headquarters and Sri Lanka.
Education
Sri Lanka has a child population of 4.2 million and a literacy rate of 92.5%, which is the highest in South Asia . Sri Lanka has already achieved several of the Education for All (EFA) Goals in primary education, gender parity, infant and maternal mortality. Our EFA development Index is 0.956, placing us close to completing the EFA Goals.
Science
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
An Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System is to be established under the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. This would also be part of a Global Operational Multi-Purpose Detection and Multi-Hazard Warning System. Sri Lanka has actively participated in all the meetings of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System.
UNESCO Tsunami assistance to Sri Lanka
Immediately after the December 26 tsunami, UNESCO established a temporary antenna with two staff members to assist in the tsunami activities in Sri Lanka and many UNESCO missions were undertaken to Sri Lanka to provide technical assistance.
UNESCO's Information for All Programme (IFAP) allocated US$100,000 for library development and capacity-building in Sri Lanka to 61 Public Libraries (Furniture/ Books and lease of building, training programmes) in the Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Provinces .
A Tsunami Village and a Pre- School in Kosgoda were set up with the assistance of the UNESCO/OHOVEN Foundation funds, in collaboration with "Future for Children" a Voluntary Social Service/Non Governmental Organization from Germany ( US$ ,000,000 )
UNESCO Emergency Assistance Fund provided books worth US$ 25,000 for School Libraries.
The World Heritage Centre of UNESCO sent an expert team to assess the damage to the Galle Fort World Heritage Site, following which a Project Proposal was submitted to Norwegian Government for funding under the UNESCO/Norwegian Funds-in-Trust.
Biosphere Reserves approved by UNESCO
There are 94 biosphere reserves in 21 countries in Asia which have been approved by the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO . The f our Biosphere Reserves in Sri Lanka are
Hurulu (1977)
Sinharaja (1978)
Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya (KDN) (2004)
Bundala (2005).
Culture
The Misuse of Religious Symbols & Expressions
Sri Lanka submitted an item on the Misuse of Religious Symbols and Expression at UNESCO's 170 th Session of the Executive Board which was adopted by the 33 rd session of the General Conference in 2005 with the support of many Member States.
World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is home to 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are:
* Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (1982)
* Ancient City of Sigiriya (1982)
* Sacred City of Anuradhapura (1982)
* Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (1988)
* Sacred City of Kandy (1988)
* Sinharaja Forest Reserve (1988)
* Golden Temple of Dambulla (1991).
Sites under consideration for inscription
1. Cluster site of Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, Horton Plains National Park and Knuckles Range
2. Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara.
Communication & Information
orld Press Freedom Day celebrated in Sri Lanka - 3 May 2006
Sri Lanka was venue to the World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2006 under the auspices of UNESCO. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day to commemorate and celebrate the principles of the freedom of Press and to pay tribute to journalists around the world who contribute to promote and protect the freedom of the media.
orld Press Freedom Day celebration consists of two days international conference dealing with a key subject related to press freedom. This 2 day conference culminates with the Awards Ceremony of the UNESCO/Guillermo World Press Prize. The Sri Lanka conference had as its theme ‘Media, Development and Poverty Eradication'.
UNESCO Tsunami Assistance to Sri Lanka
Immediately after the December 26 tsunami, UNESCO established a temporary antenna with two staff members to assist in the tsunami activities in Sri Lanka and many UNESCO missions were undertaken to Sri Lanka to provide technical assistance.
UNESCO's Information for All Programme (IFAP) allocated US$100,000 for library development and capacity-building in Sri Lanka to 61 Public Libraries (Furniture/ Books and lease of building, training programmes) in the Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Provinces .
A Tsunami Village and a Pre- School in Kosgoda were set up with the assistance of the UNESCO/OHOVEN Foundation funds, in collaboration with "Future for Children" a Voluntary Social Service/Non Governmental Organization from Germany ( US$ ,000,000 )
UNESCO Emergency Assistance Fund provided books worth US$ 25,000 for School Libraries
The World Heritage Centre of UNESCO sent an expert team to assess the damage to the Galle Fort World Heritage Site, following which a Project Proposal was submitted to Norwegian Government for funding under the UNESCO/Norwegian Funds-in-Trust.
UNESCO Fellowships for Sri Lanka citizens
The UNESCO Fellowships Programme, through the award and administration of fellowships, study and travel grants, aims to contribute to the enhancement of human resources and national capacity-building in areas that are closely aligned to UNESCO's expected strategic objectives and programme priorities; and, increase fellowships co-sponsorship arrangements with interested donors and extrabudgetary funding sources through the Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme.
So far Sri Lankan citizens have been awarded the following fellowships:
* UNESCO/Israel (MASHAV) co-sponsored Fellowship
* UNESCO/China (The Great Wall) co-sponsored Fellowship
* UNESOC Fellowships Programme in support of Priority Programme Areas
* UN ESCO/JAPAN: OBUCHI Co-Sponsored Fellowships
* UNESCO/Republic of Korea (IPDC) Co-Sponsored Fellowships.
Recent Statements of Sri Lanka in UNESCO
Statement of the H E Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga , former President of Sri Lanka at the Opening Session of the 33 rd General Conference
(Address by H E Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga , President of Sri Lanka at the Opening Session of the General Conference)
Statement of Hon Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Port & Aviation, Deputy Minister of Education and the State Representative of the Executive Board of UNESCO at the 172 nd Session of the Board
(Speech of Hon Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Port & Aviation, Deputy Minister of Education and the State Representative of the Executive Board of UNESCO at the 172 nd Session of the Board)
Statement of H E Mrs Chitranganee Wagiswara, Ambassador & Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO at the General Policy Debate of the 33 rd General Conference, 11 October 2005
(The Speech of H E Mrs Chitranganee Wagiswara, Ambassador & Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO at the General Policy Debate)
Statement made by Hon. Murugan Satchithanandan , Deputy Minister of Education, at the 176 th session of the Executive Board, 17 April 2007
(Statement by Hon. Murugan Satchithanandan, Deputy Minister of Education of Sri Lanka at the 176 th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO, 17 April 2007)
Statement made by H E Mrs Chitranganee Wagiswara, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in France and Permanent Delegate of UNESCO at the 177 th Session of the Executive Board, 02 October 2007
(Statement by H E Mrs Chitranganee Wagiswara, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO at the 177 th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board, on Tuesday 02 nd October 2007)
Statement made by Hon Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education at the General Policy Debate of the 34 th General Conference, 18 October 2007
(Statement made by Hon Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education at the General Policy Debate of the 34 th General Conference of UNESCO, 18 October 2007).
Related links
* United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
* Ministry of Education
* National Science Foundation
* UNESCO New Delhi Office Embassy H. E .Mrs. Chitranganee Wagiswara
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to France
Permanent Delegate to UNESCO
Mrs. Priyanga Wickramasinghe
Second Secretary
Contact details
Address :
UNESCO,
M 2.08 - 2.09
1, rue Miollis
75732 Paris Cedex 15
France
Telephone :
+33 1 45 68 30 30
+33 1 45 68 30 40
Fax : +33 1 47 83 29 45
E-mail : dl.sri-lanka@unesco.org
Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO
Hon. Susil Premajayantha
Minister of Education and Chairman of the National Commission
Mr. Ariyaratne Hewage
Secretary, Ministry of Education and Vice Chairman of the National Commission
Mr. R. Prithi Perera
Secretary General
Mr. K. Prasanna Chandith
Deputy Secretary General.
Contact details
Address :
Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO
National Institute of Education Complex
Maharagama
Sri Lanka
Telephone :
+94 11 27 45 178 (General)
+94 11 27 45 179 (Secretary General)
Fax : +94 11 27 45 180
E-mail : slncu@slt.lk
Sri Lanka in UNESCO
Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on 14 November 1949 soon after our independence in 1948, even before its membership with the United Nations Organization (UN) in 14 December 1955.
The UNESCO membership consists of 193 Member States out which 58 Member States comprise the Executive Board, to which Members States are elected every 4 years at the General Conference in October.
Sri Lanka was elected to the Executive Board for a consecutive second term from 2008-2011 at the recently concluded General Conference in October. Sri Lanka 's current representative to the Board is the Minster of Education Hon Susil Premajayantha.
Sri Lanka has served on the Executive Board on 4 earlier occasions as follows:
* 1968-1974 Mr Frederick de Silva
* 1987-1989 Mr Nissanka Parakrama Wijeyeratne
* 1989-1991 Mr Ananda P Guruge
* 2003-2007 Mr Karunasena Kodituwakku, Mr Mangala Samaraweera
The General Conference assembles all the Member States of UNESCO every four years in October. H. E. Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga former President of Sri Lanka was a special invitee at the inauguration of the 33 rd Session of the General Conference in October 2005.
Sri Lanka is a member of the following subsidiary bodies of the General Conference UNESCO:
* Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC)
* Intergovernmental Council of the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme
* International Coordinating Council of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB)
* Executive Council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
he UNESCO Office in New Delhi oversees Sri Lanka and coordinates the ground work between the UNESCO Headquarters and Sri Lanka.
Education
Sri Lanka has a child population of 4.2 million and a literacy rate of 92.5%, which is the highest in South Asia . Sri Lanka has already achieved several of the Education for All (EFA) Goals in primary education, gender parity, infant and maternal mortality. Our EFA development Index is 0.956, placing us close to completing the EFA Goals.
Science
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
An Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System is to be established under the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. This would also be part of a Global Operational Multi-Purpose Detection and Multi-Hazard Warning System. Sri Lanka has actively participated in all the meetings of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System.
UNESCO Tsunami assistance to Sri Lanka
Immediately after the December 26 tsunami, UNESCO established a temporary antenna with two staff members to assist in the tsunami activities in Sri Lanka and many UNESCO missions were undertaken to Sri Lanka to provide technical assistance.
UNESCO's Information for All Programme (IFAP) allocated US$100,000 for library development and capacity-building in Sri Lanka to 61 Public Libraries (Furniture/ Books and lease of building, training programmes) in the Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Provinces .
A Tsunami Village and a Pre- School in Kosgoda were set up with the assistance of the UNESCO/OHOVEN Foundation funds, in collaboration with "Future for Children" a Voluntary Social Service/Non Governmental Organization from Germany ( US$ ,000,000 )
UNESCO Emergency Assistance Fund provided books worth US$ 25,000 for School Libraries.
The World Heritage Centre of UNESCO sent an expert team to assess the damage to the Galle Fort World Heritage Site, following which a Project Proposal was submitted to Norwegian Government for funding under the UNESCO/Norwegian Funds-in-Trust.
Biosphere Reserves approved by UNESCO
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