Northern trade, tourism comes to Colombo this weekend with US support
Monday, 26 May 2014 00:12
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The Nucleus Foundation in partnership with the hugely popular Good Market and support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide discerning shoppers in Colombo with an opportunity to experience the north.
The Northern Province Trade and Tourism Festival will be held at the Diyatha Uyana in Battaramulla on 29 May and at the Race Course Nuga Tree Car Park on 31 May.
It promises to be an exciting event with trade stalls, food items and hotels from the north presenting their products to potential clients in the capital. The cultural events especially brought down to Colombo for the event will provide a colourful entertainment interlude to the event.
Over 230 entrepreneurs from the five districts of the north will participate and the event promises to bring to Colombo a vast array of products and services from the north including those specific to that region.
From handicraft to handlooms, from fresh fruit to processed foodstuff, the trade stalls will comprise a wide assortment of items from the urban areas of Jaffna and Vavuniya to the remotest corners of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. Consumers can also select handicraft items including candles and ornaments made using seas shells from the beaches of Mannar.
The display and sale of palmyra products including baskets, table mats, coasters, stationery and even food items will be a highlight of the event. Palmyra is widely used in the production of handicraft and household items throughout the five districts of the north.
Those who wish to visit the north in the next days can make use of this opportunity to meet and be greeted by representatives from hotels and guesthouses in the five districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya. They will help visitors to the north decide what they should see, where they should stay, where the best food is and who they should contact. Visitors can also sample the cuisine from the north while enjoying the performances of dancers and drummers entertaining them.
The Nucleus approach to entrepreneurship development entails the creation of same sector entrepreneur groups facilitated by a counsellor. These groups work together to share ideas and experiences and undertake collective activities designed to foster common interest and promote their enterprises. It is very popular among entrepreneurs since it gives them an opportunity to come together to discuss their issues and take collective action to address these issues.
The Nucleus Foundation (NF) is a non-profit association working in development cooperation providing a range of services to partner agencies throughout the region including training and research. The Foundation is established under a Memorandum of Understanding with the former Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the development arm of the US Government. American people, through USAID, have provided development and humanitarian assistance in developing countries worldwide for over 50 years. Since 1956, the US Government has invested over $ 2 billion to benefit all Sri Lankans.
