About Us

What is Sri Lanka Day?

Sri Lankans often refer to themselves as “Lions or The Lion Nation”. One of the reasons they do so is due to the obvious lion symbol on the country’s flag. The other reason is less known but much more meaningful. The lion has frequently been linked to words such as courageous and proud. The Sri Lanka Foundation is a foundation dedicated to the preservation of Sri Lankan culture. It strives to exhibit courage and pride in their charitable work and events.

One of the foundation’s most significant events is “Sri Lanka Day”. Every year the foundation works diligently to bring the sights, tastes, colors and general feel of Sri Lanka to spectators who gather in one location from all over California. It is an annual celebration and tribute to the culture and heritage of the Sri Lankan people. In coordinating the event the foundation seeks to inform the public about their country and its customs. The foundation also aspires to bring generations of Sri Lankans together as a community, to pass along history from one generation to another. The event will take all who attend on a short trip to Sri Lanka through traditional foods, music, dances, art, and theatre. Attendees will listen to the echo of handmade drums each with an individual tone. They will experience a visual feast of vibrant costumes, colorful clothing and ornate jewelry. Participants can explore the spices and aromas of curries and traditional sweets while being captivated by dancers and performers. Children and adults alike will revel in the Kandy Perahera the famous Sri Lankan parade that features theatre elephants of equal size to real elephants. All these experiences can be enjoyed without ever leaving California. In previous years “Sri Lanka Day” has attracted more than 100,000 visitors. In 2015 it became particularly special as it was the first year the event was hosted in the city of Pasadena. It was also the first year the foundation sponsored their own dance troupe to perform. Every year the foundation works harder to reach new heights with “Sri Lanka Day”, so stay tuned for more details on next year’s festivities!

In previous years “Sri Lanka Day” has attracted more than 100,000 visitors. In 2015 it became particularly special as it was the first year the event was hosted in the city of Pasadena. It was also the first year the foundation sponsored their own dance troupe to perform. Every year the foundation works harder to reach new heights with “Sri Lanka Day”, so stay tuned for more details on next year’s festivities!

About Sri Lanka Foundation

Sri Lanka Foundation is a 501 C (3) non-profit organization formed in June 2003 by Walter Jayasinghe, M.D., a well-known Sri Lankan-American physician in Los Angeles. With its head office in Los Angeles, California, the main focus of Sri Lanka Foundation is to promote Sri Lankan culture in the United States and worldwide.

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