Renton de Alwis, resigned from the position of Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau said a communiqué issued by the by the Ministry of Tourism. The communiqué also states that Renton will be appointed Advisor to the Tourism Ministry by Milinda Moragoda, Minister of Tourism, and would have the responsibility of advising the Minister on matters of importance, relating to policy, with particular attention to driving the Earth Lung Project.

We at ‘Sri Lanka Calling’ thank the former Chairman for his patient guidance and ready advice, week in week out, in presenting this weekly e-news letter - his “brain child”.

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The majestic and historic Dutch Fort in Galle will be a hive of activity from 22nd to 29th December with ‘Galle Season 2008’ reviving all that makes Galle stand out as an interesting town full of diversity seeped in tradition.

It will be a week of celebrations with entertainment and activities for all age groups be they tourists or local visitors or residents of Galle. Cultural pageants featuring indigenous artistes alongside other local performers of repute will provide entertainment. Other interesting line up of activities include fashion shows depicting period designs, carnivals, street parades, food festivals, exhibitions of photography, antique furniture on display, vintage car parades, fire works, classic films, dramas and fire dancers.

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The third Galle Literary Festival will be on from 28th January to 1st February, and once again it will take place in and around the world heritage site of the Galle Fort.  

Among this year’s list of celebrity writers who have confirmed participation are Thomas Keneally, Germaine Greer, Pico Iyer, Edna O’Brien, Romesh Gunesekera, V.V. Ganeshananthan, MJ Akbar, Giles Milton, Moses Isegawa and Michael Morpurgo. Many more authors are to be confirmed and among the celebrated will be some newcomers whose thoughts are also likely to make waves in the literary circles.

As in the debut year and the succeeding, the organizers are energized to make the event the best literary happening: that which draws the presence and accolades of world renowned writers.

Alexander McCall Smith said of the 2008 Festival

“I think it was one of the best literary festivals I have ever been to. There was something very special about the atmosphere which made it stand out from the run of these things - a friendly feeling and an enjoyable programme, both worked with one another beautifully.”

Harper’s Bazaar U.K. said of the 2007 Festival

“The number one literary festival in the world”

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Another of the south’s many treasurers is the Hiyare Reservoir Rainforest about a 30 minutes drive from the Galle Fort area. The positioning of the Hiyare Reservoir Rainforest and the Forest Department's Kottwa Rainforest and Arboretum, so short a distance away from a coastal town, make Galle, easily the most bio – diverse district in Sri Lanka.

Home to many species of wildlife and flora the most recent sightings in Hiyare have  been of Hog Deer. Gehan De Silva Wijeyeratne writes  

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At the recently concluded Asian CSR projects forum in Singapore the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka’s (FCCISL) Business for Peace Initiative (BPI) was adjudged winner of the best CSR projects.

BPI surpassed 170 entries from 29 countries and 120 organizations to win this acclaim. In September this year BPI was awarded the Best Social Marketing Project at the Asian Brand Congress Awards.
Congratulations! Team FCCISL and BPI for the double award, you have done Sri Lanka proud.

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Asian Development Bank(ADB) will fund Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to develop an updated sub-regional tourism plan, streamline cross-border tourist movements, formulate and implement a marketing campaign, and build the capacities to protect and manage the sub regional heritage and tourism growth.
The ADB funding is focussed on deepening the understanding and cooperation among these five nations to promote their unique tourism market of culture and nature-based destinations. The bank has approved a $2-mn grant to promote sustained dialogue among the governments of the named countries in recognition of the rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage sites.

Full story here. 

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Sri Lanka Tourism in partnership with the Central Cultural Fund hosted a group of diplomats to a tour of the cultural triangle with the objective of giving an informative excursion to some of Sri Lanka’s prime locations.
A senior tourism professional retired Deputy Director General PT Perera was official guide and Sri Lanka’s current authority on Archaeology Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne joined in to further enlighten the resident dignitaries of the archaeological and historical importance of the places visited.