On February 27th, the Italian Embassy in Colombo organized a round table on possible collaboration between Italy and Sri Lanka on cultural heritage with the participation of several Sri Lankan ministers and officials together with delegates from Italy, including Prof. Romeo Orlandi, Legal Advisor to the Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Rome Miguel Gotor Lorenzo Bimbi, and CEO & Founder of Mancini Worldwide Alessandro Mancini, representing the largest collective of tour operators and agents in Italy.

While traveling through the Red Sea, one Annium Plocamus was caught in a ferocious storm off the shore of Arabia. After what seemed like an eternity, 15 days had passed before he showed up at the harbor of Hippuros on the island of Tarobane. Here, the King of the country extended a hearty welcome to him, and he decided to remain for a period of six months in order to take advantage of the King's hospitality. During this period, the Roman visitor described Rome to the Ceylonese king as being a magnificent city. As a result of this, he sent a diplomatic mission to the imperial capital, which consisted of four individuals.

According to two scholars from ancient Greece named Diodorus Siculus and Strabo, Ceylon had developed into a significant commercial hub in the region of the Indian Ocean by this time. According to Strabo, the merchants of Ceylon imported goods from China including silks, aloes, cloves, and sandalwood. They also imported pepper from Male and copper, wood, sesame, ebony, and other seasonings from Persia.

Ptolemy's map of the world from the second century depicts Ceylon as being reasonably circumnavigated. This is because Ceylon served as a major port on the Indian Ocean trade route, making it an essential link between the east and the west. 

Marco Polo, who is believed to have traveled more than anyone else in the world during the 13th century, provided an account of the island of Ceylon that was more abundant with stories of crocodiles, coconuts, and hairy men.

Giovanni de' Marignolli, a Catholic European traveler from the 14th century, was brought to safety after being inadvertently blown in a harbor in Seyllan called Pervilis (Beruwela). There, the traveler records that they were greeted by a tyrant who, under the guise of being kind to them, accepted a loan of 60,000 marks in gold, silver, silk, gold cloth, valuable stones, pearls, camphor, musk, myrrh, fragrant spices, gifts from the Great Khan, and other gifts he sent to the Pope. The group was detained there for a period of four months, during which time they were able to visit Adam's Peak.

When Ludovico de Varthema traveled to the island in the year 1560, he made the following observation: "There were four kings on the island, all at war with one another; however, little blood was spilled in their contests as the arms that were used were swords and lances made of cane." They had no access to firearms of any kind."

The interactions that these travelers had with Sri Lanka's cultural and natural diversity are depicted in each of these accounts, which were written by different travelers during various eras.

The renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa's home calls the Lunuganga Estate features a collection of Italian artworks. The magnificent sculptures that can be found on the North Terrace appear to have been influenced by the late Renaissance time period. The grounds themselves are a testimony to the tropical wilderness of Sri Lanka, which, when combined with the classicism of the Italian Renaissance, creates a unique and beautiful environment. It was the estate that persuaded Geoffrey Bawa to switch from practicing law to pursuing a career in architecture, and it is abundantly obvious that Italy played an important role in shaping his ideas and designs.

On the other hand, Italian cuisine and wine are exceptionally well-known in Sri Lanka. The majority of people admire and enjoy eating genuine Italian cuisine.

The renowned canal network in Italy served as the model for the design of the 14.5-kilometer-long Hamilton Canal in Sri Lanka, which runs through Negombo.

We are reminded of an Italian village in many ways by beautifully cobblestoned streets and ageless architecture, which consists of ornamented columns and sweeping arches of the historic Galle Fort, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

As a consequence of those, Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world that possesses a cultural tradition that is extremely varied. This one-of-a-kind cultural diversity is facilitated by the country's location on the globe of the world. Sri Lanka is the destination that should be considered first by those who are interested in discovering, learning about, and conducting research on an alternative and archaic culture.

In Sri Lanka, tourists have the opportunity to experience the historical and cultural richness that spans centuries, including traditional ancient villages, one-of-a-kind festivals and rituals, mingling with local people, learning their language, customs, and cuisine, and participating in a wide variety of other activities.

The Italian culture has had a significant impact on the world and influenced architecture, art, cuisine and many other areas that can also be found on the Island of Sri Lanka. 

We, FantAsia Tours, together with one of the most revered scholars in the country has designed “Experience and/or Research Tours on Sri Lankan Culture.”

Dr. Lionel Bentarage, Emeritus Professor of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Colombo, will guide you on a tour that will carry you to the heart of the unique culture of Sri Lanka. It's possible that this will be the most exciting and distinct cultural trip that Sri Lanka has ever put on offer.

This is also an effort that we are making to protect the traditional artisans and craftsmen during this challenging economic crisis period that Sri Lanka is going through right now and to ensure that they are supported and encouraged to continue this cultural knowledge into the future. 

We would appreciate it if you would give this suggestion some thought. We anticipate that you will collaborate with us in order to make Sri Lanka a better place using this community-based, novel cultural tourism initiative.

You can reach us via email at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at +94 71 836 9465 to receive additional information and to organise tour packages.

(Photo Courtesy for top 4 photos): Embassy of Italy in Colombo - Sri Lanka)