Professor Bopearachchi highlights multicultural aspects of Sri Lanka at UNESCO

(April 29, Paris, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Asia Pacific Group of UNESCO in association with UNESCO organized a round table on “The Role of the Silk Road in the Rapprochement of Cultures.”

Geared towards enhancing the understanding and recognizing the contribution of the Silk Road in the rapprochement of cultures and the aspects that bind nations across a vast region from China to Iran, the round table brought together experts and scholars from the field.

Prof. Osmond Bopearachchi, Sri Lankan scholar and Director of Research at the French National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) presented a paper on "Sri Lanka, a Land of Multicultural Exchanges." (Attached herewith)

Also present at the round table were other scholars including Ms. Tong Wei, State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China, Prof. Jacques Legrande, President, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO), Mr. Doudou Diène, former UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance as well as Prof. Reza Sha’abani, University of Shahid Behesti, Iran.

Statement issued by the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to UNESCO