The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rome participated in the observance of International Tea Day 2026 held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome on Thursday, 21 May 2026, showcasing the country’s rich tea culture and culinary creativity. The event was inaugurated by Dr QU Dongyu, Director-General of FAO.
Sri Lanka’s participation featured a series of engaging activities celebrating the heritage and versatility of world-renowned Ceylon Tea. In the morning session, Fabiola Ruggiero from Cose di Té conducted a special tea tasting experience, introducing visitors to the distinctive flavours, aromas, and traditions associated with Ceylon Tea. Participants experienced a curated tasting session highlighting the quality and diversity of Ceylon Tea varieties from seven regions. The Sri Lanka stand was decorated with handicrafts of Sri Lanka and different Tea Samples, Tea Boxes, Tea sets and Brochures of Sri Lanka Tourism and Tea. Visitors to the stall were treated with Sri Lankan savoury food items to accompany tea and were able to take tea packs from 4 Regions of Sri Lanka. Innovatively, some tea from Sabaragamuwa was served at room temperature in beautiful decanters to show how black tea could be paired with sweet and savoury food items, in the manner that Italian wine was often paired with certain foods; highlighting the diverse way that Tea could be used with cuisine and food beyond the Traditional Tea served in a pot. Director General of FAO Dr QU Dongyu appreciated tasting the unique teas at the stall, along with the Secretary General of the FAO Council Rakesh Muthoo and other officials of the FAO Secretariat and other Diplomats.
The afternoon programme featured an interactive demonstration at the FAO “FoodS Lab" an interactive "kitchen of the world" inside the FAO Food and Agriculture Museum & Network (FAO MuNe) in Rome, where Ambassador Satya Rodrigo gave a brief overview of the range of Ceylon Tea noting its distinct taste and flavours ranging from light, floral, and golden to dark, robust, and full-bodied, to become of the finest and most celebrated teas in the world. This was followed by a live culinary presentation by Sri Lankan Chef Suresh Kekulthotuwage, who presented an innovative interpretation of the classic Italian dessert tiramisu by using Ceylon black tea in place of coffee and Sri Lankan Coconut Milk. The interpreted “Tiramisù al Tè di Ceylon” or “Tiramisu al Tè,” was a sophisticated Italian fusion dessert that offered a lighter, aromatic flavour profile, drew significant interest from participants and showcased the versatility of Ceylon tea in modern gastronomy while creating a unique fusion between Sri Lankan tea culture and Italian cuisine.
As part of the live kitchen experience, the audience was invited to taste the “Tiramisu al Tè” together with a chicken filet marinated in Ceylon black tea, complemented with lime and creamy Sri Lankan coconut, with “Kiribath” - traditional milk rice, further demonstrating the diverse culinary applications of Ceylon Tea.
Boubaker Ben-Belhassen, Director of the FAO's Markets and Trade Division that authors the global International Tea Market’s Report tasted the unique dishes with several volunteers from the audience and all eagerly looked forward to trying out more culinary foods made with Ceylon Tea and Sri Lankan Coconut.
This year event was held under the theme “Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities,” and it highlighted tea’s contribution to livelihoods, cultural heritage, and sustainable agrifood systems, while bringing together tea-producing countries and international stakeholders. Approximately 250–300 visitors attended the event. Sri Lanka took part in the International Tea Day celebrations at FAO with Diplomatic Missions of Azerbaijan, Canada (Quebec), China, Indonesia, Kenya, Russia and Turkey.
Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rome
04 June 2026
