U.S. funds to preserve Galle Dutch Fort

The United States has granted US$ 100,000 to support the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation to preserve Sri Lanka’s historic Galle Dutch Fort.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Patricia A. Butenis, will announce the awarding of the grant at a function to be held today at the Galle Maritime Archaeology Museum Auditorium at 3.30 p.m.

The grant will support the work led by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura to document the historic buildings within the Fort, create a strategy for long-term preservation of its architectural characteristics and to formulate a master plan to guide the development within the historic area, according to the U.S. Embassy in Colombo.

Since its creation over a decade ago by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation has provided financial support to more than 640 cultural preservation projects in more than 100 countries. This accomplishment represents a contribution of nearly $26 million towards the preservation of cultural heritage worldwide. (Colombo Page)