First Crafts Map of Sri Lanka copy presented to President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was presented with the first copy of a Crafts Map of Sri Lanka at a ceremony organised at Temple Trees on Thursday.
The Crafts Map that was published with the assistance of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation was presented to the President by National Crafts Council Chairman Buddhi Keerthisena in the presence of High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Y.K. Sinha and Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda.

National Crafts Council Chairman Buddhi Keerthisena (left) and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Y.K. Sinha showing the first Crafts Map of Sri Lanka copy to President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Published with the guidance of Dastkari Haat Samiti, a National Association of Craftsperson’s based in New Delhi that has members from all parts of India, the map highlights unique Sri Lankan handicrafts that use age-old tools, techniques and indigenous raw materials.

The map is expected to promote the unique crafts of Sri Lanka by giving visibility to the people involved in the field. Handicrafts are produced mainly in the homes of crafts persons or at crafts centres in the rural areas of Sri Lanka.
With keen interest to help uplift the area of crafts in Sri Lanka, the Indian Government is funding the building of Handicrafts village in Hambantota and Jaffna.
The India-Sri Lanka Foundation was established by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka in 1998 to foster India-Sri Lanka relations through the enhancement of economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation.
The Co-Chairpersons of the Association is Indian High Commissioner Sinha and High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne.