President attends Sri Lanka Tourist Board's Paris launch
[October 4, 2005 - 7.30 GMT]  

After her address to the UNESCO General Conference on Monday 3 ^rd October President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her Ghananian counterpart John Agyekum Kufuor were conducted to the Education for All [EFA] Exhibition at the UNESCO HQ. The two Presidents spent some time at the Sri Lanka and Ghana stands. Sri Lanka's achievements so far in EFA [one of the UN 's Millennium Goals] were pictorially depicted in the Sri Lanka stall, manned by officials of the Education Ministry.  

An official luncheon was then hosted by the UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura in honour of the two Presidents at the Lowendal Lounge in the UNESCO complex. President Kumaratunga and her delegation then held talks with Mr. Matsuura which focused on the three key educational challenges the developing world now faces i.e. teacher training, literacy and HIV/AIDS prevention education.

Monday evening President Kumaratunga attended the launch of the Sri Lanka post tsunami tourist promotion in Paris at the Hotel Le Bristol. Here a book ' Portfolio of Sri Lanka' made up of photographs of the beautiful landscapes, fauna and flora of the island nation was launched. The first copy was presented to the President by the world renowned nature photographer M. H Fabrice. A DVD guide on Sri Lanka "Larme de Perle' was also presented to Kumaratunga by its producer Mr. Pierre Brouweres.

President Kumaratunga then addressed the distinguished array of French Government officials, heads of travel companies and travel journalists present in impeccable French, raising many an eyebrow. She then answered some questions posed by the travel journalists on the progress of the island's recovery efforts after the tsunami in December. This was followed by a reception hosted by Sri Lanka's Ambassador in France and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board where the President met the Sri Lankan community in France.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Arjuna Ranatunga , Ambassador Chitrangani Wagiswara Tourist Board Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara and Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Tara de Mel were present at the events at Hotel Le Bristol.

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Last Updated Date: October 4, 2005 - 7.30 GMT