News & Events

Creating global recognition to the Sri Lankan fashion design industry in the world of fashion, Colombo fashion week is an annual event held since 2003. Filled with fashion, entertainment, food and fun this event attracts not only Sri Lankan designers, but those from the neighboring countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as well.

‘The Night of Shiva’ (Maha Shivaratri) is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. There are various interesting legends related to this festival, one of the most popular is, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva, though many go on a diet, some do not consume even a drop of water.

Music cuts through all barriers and boundaries, helping people to connect and immerse themselves in multiple cultures and experiences. The Music Cooperation between Sri Lanka and Norway embraced this sentiment and in 2009 established a successful annual Music Festival which alternates between the Sri Lankan cities of Jaffna and Galle. The festival will celebrate the diversity of Sri Lankan musical traditions with particular emphasis on Folk traditions. The Festivals offer a platform for artists and audiences from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds to connect through the medium of music.

The Kandy International Film Festival is a four-day celebration of global cinema held since 2011. This inaugural event attracts many filmmakers from around the world. Against a stunning background of gardens, hilltops and cultural architecture in the city of Kandy (UNESCO world heritage) the Festival showcases an exciting program of films celebrating diverse techniques, styles and themes relevant to the region with a special focus on Asian film and upcoming talent. KIFF attracts documentary and feature films competing in several categories, including Best Documentary, Best Global feature. Short films from the region are also screened and awarded prizes.

Witness the most amazing sceneries of this beautiful island from the air, this festival is held to give ballooning enthusiasts a chance to fly over the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. Flying over the greeneries in this part of the country you may sight elephants roaming freely, water buffaloes standing in the paddy fields and monkeys swinging from the trees. Take memorable pictures and videos to last a lifetime of your memorable sky safari over beautiful Sri Lanka.

Sinhala & Tamil New Year Festival is the most action-packed and significant event in the Sri Lankan calendar, Sinhalese Buddhist and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka join forces to celebrate their mutual new year in grand style. Festivities are prepared well in advance, families get together, new cloths & gifts shared, traditional sweets are made and exchanged with neighbors, traditional Sinhala games are played in every play grounds and firecracker sound is just nonstop, this is something to experience and unique as such as it is not celebrated elsewhere in the world.

Sri Lanka is the country practice more live Buddhism with a great honour and Vesak is the main Buddhist religious festival in Sri Lanka. During this time, people celebrate the triple anniversary of Lord Buddha, his birth, his attaining of Enlightenment and his passing away into Nirvana. Vesak also known as Buddhist Festival of Light, indeed this time of the year could be the most colourful night to every Sri Lankans as every house, Streets, Towns filled with decorations and bamboo framed lanterns. Visit Bhauddoloka Mawatha, the main street in Colombo, to catch this glowing spectacle in full glory. Stalls on the roadside distribute free refreshments and meals to anyone who passes by and there are some fantastic mime and street theatre performances, staged on tall platforms near temple... Read more

The festival is celebrated annually since its first launch in 2007.  The event has become one of the most anticipated literary events in south East Asia for both authors and literary enthusiasts around the world. The festival held usually in and around the historic Dutch Galle Fort an UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the southern shores. With its success during the past few years organizers consider to expand the event in next year to Kandy and Jaffna to expose young Sri Lankans to English literature. Also it’s intimate format allows visitors the opportunity to appreciate the works of Sri Lankan and international authors, to take part in literary discussions and enjoy other writerly, readerly, archeological, ecological, philosophical, cultural, musical, artistic, and culinary ac... Read more

Music cuts through all barriers and boundaries, helping people to connect and immerse themselves in multiple cultures and experiences. The Music Cooperation between Sri Lanka and Norway embraced this sentiment and in 2009 established a successful annual Music Festival which alternates between the Sri Lankan cities of Jaffna and Galle. The festival will celebrate the diversity of Sri Lankan musical traditions with particular emphasis on Folk traditions. The Festivals offer a platform for artists and audiences from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds to connect through the medium of music.

With leopards and elephants becoming the key attraction in nature-based tourism, the sloth bear, commonly referred to as the Stickney bear or labiated bear is another powerful carnivore in Sri Lanka’s jungles which attracting its own fan club. Black in colour and with a thick heavy coat of fur, the Sri Lankan sloth bear is similar in nature to the sun bear and the best place to spot in the country includes Yala National Park, Wasgomuva and Wilpattu. Wasgamuwa is said to have the largest bear population estimated at around 50 – 75 animals. Yala too is said to be inhabited by about 50 bears. The season to sight these beautiful animals starts in May and goes on till end July.