Embassy of Sri Lanka in Lebanon & Syria

14/08/2026

Ambassador of Sri Lanka Meets Lions Club Governor in Baabda

H.E. Anura Withanage, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Lebanon, met with Lions Club Governor Elias Antonio in Baabda, together with his assistant and other Lions Club officials.

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the important humanitarian and community services carried out by the Lions Club in Lebanon. The Governor briefed the Ambassador on a range of charitable and medical initiatives undertaken to support communities in need.

During the meeting, Governor Antonio presented the Ambassador with the Lions Club emblem and flag as a gesture of friendship and goodwill. The Ambassador expressed his sincere appreciation for this honour and for the warm hospitality extended during the visit. He also gratefully accepted an invitation to participate in future Lions Club events in Beirut.

Of particular importance, the Lions Club generously offered to provide free medical screening services to members of the Sri Lankan migrant community in Lebanon, including eye and hearing examinations, diabetes screening, mammography, and other basic health checks.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka will coordinate with the Lions Club to organize this special community health programme. The date, time, and venue of the medical screening programme will be announced by the Embassy at a later date for the information of Sri Lankan community members.

The Ambassador expressed his sincere appreciation to Governor Antonio and the Lions Club officials for their generous humanitarian support, warm hospitality, and commitment to strengthening friendship and community cooperation.

11/08/2026

06/08/2026

H.E. Anura Withanage, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Lebanon, paid a courtesy call on the General Manager of Turkish Airlines Lebanon in Beirut today to discuss opportunities for strengthening tourism cooperation between Sri Lanka and Lebanon.

During the cordial meeting, the Ambassador highlighted Sri Lanka’s tourism potential and was pleased to note that Turkish Airlines currently operates 10 weekly flights between Istanbul and Colombo, providing excellent connectivity for travellers.

The Ambassador invited Turkish Airlines to participate in the “Discover Sri Lanka” Tourism Promotion Event to be held in Beirut on 5 October 2026. Turkish Airlines confirmed its participation and generous support for the event.

The Ambassador also introduced the Sri Lanka Painting Competition (October 2026 – June 2027) for Lebanese high school and university students. Turkish Airlines kindly agreed to sponsor the Grand Prize by offering three return air tickets to Sri Lanka for the winning student and his or her parents, together with a one-week tour of Sri Lanka.

H.E. the Ambassador expressed his sincere appreciation to the General Manager and Turkish Airlines Lebanon for their generous support, which will contribute significantly to promoting Sri Lanka’s tourism, culture, and heritage while further strengthening the friendship between Sri Lanka and Lebanon.

28/07/2026

Strengthening the Enduring Partnership Between Sri Lanka and Lebanon 🇱🇰🤝🇱🇧

It was a great honour to pay a courtesy call on H.E. Youssef Rajji, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Lebanese Republic, and to meet with H.E. Albert Samaha, Ambassador and Chief of Cabinet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Our discussions were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere and focused on the longstanding friendship and excellent bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Lebanon. I conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of the Government of Sri Lanka and expressed my sincere appreciation for H.E. the Minister’s kind sentiments towards Sri Lanka, as well as his best wishes to Hon. Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka.

I was particularly delighted by H.E. the Minister’s keen interest in visiting Sri Lanka. It was my privilege to extend a cordial invitation to visit our country and experience its unique natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and renowned hospitality.

I also expressed my sincere appreciation for H.E. the Minister’s recognition of the significant contributions made by the Sri Lankan community in Lebanon and his acknowledgment of the enduring friendship that has long united our two countries.

The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of Sri Lanka and Lebanon to further strengthening bilateral cooperation and expanding collaboration across areas of mutual interest. I look forward to working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon to advance the longstanding partnership and friendship between our two nations.

28/07/2026

25/07/2026

Strengthening Diplomatic Engagement and Promoting Sri Lanka

His Excellency Anura Withanage, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Lebanon and Syria, had the pleasure of meeting with the Ambassadors of the Republic of Korea, Spain, Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Belgium, France, Türkiye, and Cuba during a series of cordial and constructive engagements.

The discussions focused on the current situation in Lebanon, the importance of continued dialogue within the diplomatic community, and the exchange of experiences to further strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation.

During these meetings, H.E. the Ambassador also extended invitations to the distinguished Ambassadors to attend the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Event to be held on 5 October 2026 in Beirut. The Embassy is pleased that all of them warmly accepted the invitation, reflecting their support for Sri Lanka and their interest in strengthening bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka looks forward to welcoming the diplomatic community to this special event, which will showcase Sri Lanka's rich tourism offerings, culture, and warm hospitality.

24/07/2026

Strengthening Humanitarian Cooperation

It was a pleasure to meet Dr. Antoine Zoghbi, President of the Lebanese Red Cross, for a warm and productive discussion on the organization’s outstanding humanitarian work, particularly during the current challenging situation in Lebanon.

I conveyed my sincere appreciation to Dr. Zoghbi and his dedicated team for the invaluable support extended to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in assisting with the identification and burial arrangements of a Sri Lankan national.

We also discussed strengthening future cooperation between the Embassy of Sri Lanka and the Lebanese Red Cross in humanitarian assistance and emergency response, further reinforcing the longstanding friendship and collaboration between our two institutions.