Spotlight on Lanka at Australian festival

The Cowra Festival of International Understanding in Australia is now on and would continue till March 10.

The guest nation of the year is Sri Lanka and the festival will feature school displays of Sri Lankan artwork, a Sri Lankan photography exhibition and a spice village among other things.

Sri Lankan inspired artworks created by local high school and primary school students and early childhood centres will be on display in shop windows along Kendal Street until March 15.

The photographic exhibition titled 'Facets of Sri Lanka' will be held till next Sunday at the Cowra Service Club and will feature over 60 photographs of Sri Lanka's countryside.

There will be many attractions on show over the week including lunchtime theatre presented by the Cowra M&D Society and a Rotary Club International dinner with a guest speaker.

The official opening of the ceremony on March 8 will be hosted by the Australian Chapter of the World Peace Bell Association. Sri Lanka's High Commissioner Thisara Samarasinghe will be welcomed and the St. Raphael's School Choir will sing the Australian and Sri Lankan national anthems.

The Cowra Public School Circus Troupe will be in attendance and Torsion will present a Sri Lankan dance.

The festival tree planting ceremony will be held on Saturday where an iron wood tree will be planted at the Brougham Park International Arboretum to signify Sri Lanka's involvement in the festival.

The festival parade will feature decorated floats, bands and characters in fancy dress; the Essential Energy Festival carnival will be held at the River Park

-Southern Weekly