Los Angeles City Hall in the state of California declared Sri Lanka Day as an official day on August 17, 2020. On behalf of the Sri Lanka Foundation, it was an honor to have had that day proclaimed and every year we continue the celebration.

With our headquarters being in Los Angeles, California, we are proud to live in a diverse city that celebrates every walk of life that exists on this planet. The City of Los Angeles educates its citizens and acknowledges all cultures with many recognitions and honors.

On November 27, 2019, the resolution was adopted by the Council of the City of Los Angeles at its meeting, and it stated the following:

“Los Angeles State of California Resolution Sri Lanka Day

WHEREAS, Los Angeles is home to the second largest population of Sri Lankans in the United States; and

WHEREAS, members of the Sri Lankan community, from the island nation also known as “the Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” represent a vibrant and integral part of Los Angeles; and

WHEREAS, Sri Lanka Day is a day where all Angelenos can come together to celebrate Sri Lankan culture, build a more diverse community, and acknowledge achievements within the community; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper on Sri Lanka Day to recognize the tremendous impact of the Sri Lankan community’s presence in the City of Los Angeles:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Los Angeles hereby declares August 17, 2020 SRI LANKA DAY in the City of Los Angeles and encourage all citizens to join together to celebrate the Sri Lankan community.”

Since 2003, we have been working on our mission to rebuild hope and lives throughout Sri Lanka and its expatriate communities worldwide. We envision a world where Sri Lankans prosper at an international level while also being known to the world.

Sri Lanka is an island nation in South Asia with a population of about 22 million, it offers so much beauty, yet some still have not yet learned about Sri Lanka. We create more awareness through cultural performances presented by our performing arts school and offer classes to children of any nationality to learn about Sri Lankan dance arts. There is a rich history in the dance and famous drumming Sri Lanka performs because it has existed for many centuries. The Sri Lankan language, known as Sinhalese, dates back to 200 BC. We work daily to preserve Sri Lanka’s rich culture so that our future generations, even if they live in other parts of the globe, can keep the Sri Lankan culture alive.

With continued education through our performing arts, we invite the public to join us for our momentous events held twice a year, virtually and in person. We create experiences for the public that include food festivals, shopping experiences, fashion shows, and a recreation of Sri Lanka’s famous Kandyan Parade. We also hold an annual Awards Ceremony that recognizes the outstanding achievements of many accomplished Sri Lankans living abroad.

Our purpose and our hope for the celebration of Los Angeles City Hall’s Sri Lanka Day, is that if and when a Sri Lankan moves to the United States, not only will they feel welcomed and feel proud to be a Sri Lankan native, we wish that they never lose their amazing culture and that they always have a connection to their homeland so that their children and generations to come always remember where they came from.

CLICK HERE to visit our gallery to view all of our photos from this event!