Ｄｅｌｅｇａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ Ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｉｏｎ ｆｏｒ Ｓｒｉ Ｌａｎｋａ－Ｃｈｉｎａ Ｓｏｃｉａｌ ａｎｄ Ｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌ Ｃｏｏｐｅｒａｔｉｏｎ ｉｎ Ｃｈｉｎａ

Invited by the CPAFFC， a delegation of the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC) led by its President Indrananda Abeysekera visited China from February 25 to March 5， 2009.

CPAFFC Vice President Feng Zuoku had a working meeting with the delegation. Ai Ping， director general of Bureau I of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee， briefed the guests on the development of the guiding ideology of the CPC and its guidance in China’s making great achievements in reform and opening up. Wang Dongmei， deputy director of China Radio International， signed with the delegation a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation. The delegation also visited Qinghai and Sichuan.

Appreciating Cooperation

On February 26， the delegation held a meeting in Beijing to commend the CPAFFC for its holding in cooperation with the ASLCSCC a series of activities in Sri Lanka last year to mark the 30th anniversary of China’s adoption of the policy of reform and opening up. The activities included a photo exhibition on the achievements of China’s reform and opening up， printing and distributing pamphlets about the achievements and experience of China’s reform and opening up， etc.

In recognition of the CPAFFC’s outstanding contributions to promoting Sri Lanka-China friendship in the past decades， the delegation conferred the award Extraordinary Hero of People-to-People Friendship Diplomacy upon the CAPFFC and awarded the 2009 Medal of Friendship to CPAFFC Vice President Feng Zuoku.

Carrying Out Activities for Public Good

Loving care for the people in the earthquake-hit areas: The Sri Lankan people who suffered greatly during the Indian Ocean tsunami show solicitude for the victims of the Wenchuan earthquake and share their woe. The delegation carried out a series of activities to express sympathy and solicitude to the people in the earthquake-stricken areas. The loving care and material aid from the Sri Lankan people warmed the hearts of the people in the disaster areas and fully demonstrated the deep friendship between the Chinese and Sri Lankan people.

Abeysekera said， when Sri Lanka was hit by the tsunami， both the Chinese government and people offered great assistance to and helped Sri Lanka rebuild the disaster areas. Now the Chinese brothers are suffering， the Sri Lankan people， though not rich， are willing to do what little they can to help the Chinese people within their ability.

The delegation offered scholarships to ten students who had become disabled during the earthquake. Abeysekera said that his association would offer scholarships to the ten students or other students in Dongqi Middle School every year to show the Sri Lankan people’s care and love for the children in the disaster areas. He added that his association would hold in Sri Lanka an exhibition of paintings drawn by the children in Sichuan quake areas and would sell these paintings for charity. The proceeds from the charity sale would be sent back to the disaster areas for rebuilding education facilities for children.

The delegation put forward a suggestion to the Deyang Municipal Bureau of Education that the ASLCSCC send English teachers to the disaster areas to give free English teaching.

“Friendship and love”: The delegation donated books and special equipment for the deaf and mute to Dongqi Middle School and the Sichuan Provincial Disabled Persons’ Federation. It is a continuation of the “Friendship and Love” project， which started in 2007 when the ASLCSCC delegation visited Guizhou and has been operated for three years.

Promoting Exchanges between Localities

In Qinghai， the delegation signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing friendly and cooperative relations with the Qinghai Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The contents of the memorandum include exchange of visits， tourism promotion， educational and scientific exchanges， and promoting twinning of friendship cities. The memorandum has laid a good foundation for future cooperation between the two sides.

With regard to friendship cities， Abeysekera and Cui Qingshan， deputy secretary general of the Xining Municipal Government， respectively gave a brief introduction to Kalutara City and Xining. Both of them held that the two cities have potential for cooperation and agreed to make joint efforts to promote establishing friendship-city ties between the two cities.

Promoting Exchanges in Education

Sister Schools: The Foundation for Sri Lanka-China Educational Relations is set up under the ASLCSCC. During the visit， the delegation actively promoted establishment of sister-school relations between four pairs of Chinese and Sri Lankan schools on behalf of the foundation. The nominated Chinese and Sri Lankan schools all had traumatic experiences and suffered material losses from the earthquake and tsunami respectively. They are more willing to help each other to walk out of the shadow of disaster. The delegation handed over a letter from the principal of St. Thomas’ College， Matale to Guangya School in Xiang- chuan on the college’s intention to establish sister-school ties with it. The principal of Guangya School asked the delegation to pass the brochure about the school to the principal of St. Thomas’ College， and said his school is looking forward to twinning sister schools with St. Thomas’ College.

Cultural Exchanges

Exchanges in Buddhism: Under the ASLCSCC there is the Foundation for Sri Lanka-China Buddhist Relations. The delegation， on behalf of the foundation，presented consecrated Buddha statues to Ta’er Monastery and Daci Temple.

In Daci Temple， the two sides recalled the friendly exchanges in Buddhism between China and Sri Lanka， such as Chinese Monk Faxian of the Jin Dynasty studying Buddhism in Sri Lanka， and Sri Lankan Monk Bukong and Bhikkuni Pitipana Devasara propagating Buddhism in China. The exchange in Buddhism between the two countries has a long history. Abbot Shi Da’en expressed his willingness to strengthen contact in Buddhism with Sri Lanka and got positive response from the delegation， which invited him to visit Sri Lanka this year.

Jointly holding the Chinese and Sri Lankan students’ painting exhibition: On March 4， the ASLCSCC， the Sichuan Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Chengdu Yibo School jointly held the 2009 Exhibition of Paintings by Sri Lankan and Sichuan Children. It attracted many parents who visited the exhibition with their children.

It was the first time that paintings drawn by Chinese and Sri Lankan children were on display together. In his interview with the Sichuan media， Abeysekera said， children are the future， and friendship should be first fostered between children. This exhibition is mounted to cultivate the future of Sri Lanka-China friendship， let the seeds of friendship between the two countries strike root in the hearts of children and let the traditional friendship be carried forward by the younger generation.