Culture, cuisine, dance and destination presented at the Sri Lanka Cultural Festival in Stockholm

September 07, Colombo: Several Swedish and Sri Lankan partners came together last week to showcase Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, cuisine, dance and destination at the “Sri Lanka Cultural Festival” held at Etnografiska museum and Matamekka, Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen, Stockholm, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Office said.

The festival also portrayed the many facets of Sri Lankan arts, literature, heritage and history, creative industry, Ayurveda and wellness, film and music, etc. .

The event which ended on August 28, 2022 recorded a high number of visitors of 1300. The event was also organized in collaboration with the Tourism Promotion Bureau of Sri Lanka.

The 5-day cultural event was launched at the Etnografiska Museum on August 24 with Sri Lankan cuisine, traditional Sri Lankan exotic dances including poojanatuma, Surambavalliya and Nagaraksha, and classical music amid a public and distinguished partners.

Chef Rohan Fernandopulle, President of the Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka, has teamed up with Swedish chef Carola Magnusson to present authentic Sri Lankan dishes showcasing the island’s rich culinary heritage. Live stations from Hoppers and Kottu screened the islands’ unique dishes. Freshly brewed Dilmah Tea showcased Ceylon’s finest tea selections.

Sri Lanka’s multifaceted year-round destination was showcased throughout the festival. The tourism stand, video presentations, posters, banners and leaflets illustrating the various attractions the island has to offer, such as pristine beaches; lush forests; gushing waterfalls; wildlife and ancient cities, adventure and rich and diverse culture showcased the diversity and richness of the island destination.

The Festival also included displays at the Etnografiska Museum of a variety of unique Sri Lankan artifacts brought for the festival by the Museum. Additionally, private collections, professional creations – replica paintings of Sigiri Apsara, Mulkirigala (19thC Thelapththa Jatakaya), Dodanduwa (19thC, Vessanthara Jatakaya), replica statues of Avaloketheeswara Bodhisattva (9th C, Veheragala) in brass, and the unique Ethpahana (Elephant lamp 12th Century Dedigama-Punkagama) in bronze, conceptual painted pottery using traditional temple imagery on terracotta pots, and other creations showcasing the best tradition/expertise of Sri Lankan carvers. lankans were on display. Silver, brass, wooden crafts and batik creations have projected Sri Lanka’s creative industry. Commercially relevant displays included Ayurvedic and wellness products; authentic Sri Lankan spices.

The Sri Lankan literature corner has attracted many visitors. Sri Lankan novels such as Madol Duwa, translated into Swedish, introduced the Sri Lankan literary tradition. Films produced by Swedish producer Stefan & Lavonne Quinth on various themes, including films on Sri Lankan wildlife, were screened daily in the auditorium of the Etnografiska Museum. The producers have been closely associated with filming Sri Lanka for over 40 years.

The children were exposed to an additional flavor of Sri Lanka through the painting of island wildlife such as the walikukula (jungle chicken) – the national bird, Asian elephant, leopard, whale, the dolphin, the peacock, etc. popular stop during the event, offering a delightful experience of dressing up in traditional sari, osariya and sarong.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Stockholm and Sri Lanka Tourism received an excellent partnership from Etnografiska Museum, Stockholm; Carola’s EKO from Swedish chef Carola Magnusson; Master Chef Rohan Fernandopulle, President Bocuse d’Or; Dilmah Tea-Sri Lanka and agent Tekompaniet, Stockholm; Swedish film producers Stefan and Lavonne Quinth.

Additionally, at a separate event in Stockholm, specially curated Sri Lankan fine dining was showcased by Executive Chef Rohan Fernandopulle at Stora Skuggans by Carola’s EKO restaurant – which has a strong sustainability mark. Master Chef Rohan also participated in the Terra Madre Nordic Chef Festival (September 1-3), which is a Nordic meeting place for producers and consumers with a common interest in sustainable food production, consumption and culture.

The event came at a time when several countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Norway and others, have revised travel advisories on Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board said.