Ministry of Foreign Affairs concludes another successful Diplomatic Training Program

The Annual Diplomatic Training Program, the main feature in the calendar of the Technical Cooperation Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded successfully, on 29 September, at the Ministry, with a ceremony to present the certificates to the participants. The program was conducted in collaboration with the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI).

Additional Secretary Foreign Affairs Ambassador Grace Asirwatham, BIDTI Director General Pamela Deen, Heads of Mission of the participating countries, representatives from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Sri Lanka Tea Board and Board of Investment and other dignitaries graced the award ceremony.

Addressing the participants, Additional Secretary Ambassador Asirwatham pointed out that the course was tailor made to cover a range of topics that is currently being discussed internationally, exposing the young diplomats to the contemporary global issues, which enable them to harness their skills and develop their aptitude for diplomacy. She expressed gratitude to the SLTPB and other institutions who extended sponsorship and assistance for the success of the program.

BIDTI Director General Pamela Deen commended the participants for their enthusiasm and interactive nature. She observed that BIDTI, together with the Foreign Ministry will strive to enrich the course content from the experience gathered to project Sri Lanka in the region as a hub for knowledge sharing.

Young diplomats from 23 countries, including Colombo Plan member countries, were trained for a period of two weeks at the BIDTI, with a diverse program covering areas related to diplomacy, international relations, global and regional issues as well as sessions on Sri Lanka. The presentations were conducted by experts in the respective subjects, providing comprehensive and cutting edge knowledge.

During their stay in Sri Lanka, the participants were provided opportunities to witness the development projects in the country, including the Colombo Port City and Colombo Harbour Expansion project, giving them an insight into the socio-economic development process of the country. They also visited the Central Bank, Colombo Stock Exchange and had an audience with the Speaker of the Parliament.

The young diplomats also visited Ratnapura to get a firsthand impression of Sri Lanka’s gem industry, after which they visited Nuwara Eliya, Kandy Dalada Maligawa, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, Gannoruwa National Agriculture Technology Park and the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, exposing them to the diverse and compact beauty of the island too.

The training program is conducted as Sri Lanka committed at the 44th Consultative Committee Meeting of Colombo Plan in Kathmandu in 2014 to impart technical assistance as a means of human resource development to member countries of the Colombo Plan.