Sri Lanka proudly participated as the Host Country of the 45th Los Angeles Lotus Festival 2026, held at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles, on 11 and 12 July 2026. The festival was organized by Los Angeles Lotus Festival Inc. in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles, and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). As the Host Country, Sri Lanka was presented with a unique opportunity to showcase its rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, world-renowned tourism attractions, authentic cuisine, and performing arts to thousands of visitors attending one of Southern California's premier multicultural festivals.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior officials of the City of Los Angeles, members of the diplomatic corps, elected representatives, religious leaders representing all faiths, community leaders, distinguished guests, and members of the public.

The ceremony commenced with a vibrant traditional Sri Lankan dance reception and cultural procession presented by the School of Traditional Sri Lankan Dance in Los Angeles to welcome the distinguished guests. This was followed by the national anthems of Sri Lanka and the United States, symbolizing the enduring friendship between the two nations.

During the opening ceremony, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles, Achini Perera delivered the special opening remarks on behalf of Sri Lanka as the Host Country. In her address, she highlighted Sri Lanka's rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, world-renowned tourism attractions, and the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the United States. She emphasized that Sri Lanka's participation as the Host Country would further strengthen cultural ties and promote greater people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. She also encouraged American travelers to visit Sri Lanka and highlighted the Government's introduction of a free 30-day double-entry Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) tourist visa for nationals of 40 countries, including the United States, as a measure to facilitate tourism and strengthen people-to-people connections.

Remarks were also delivered by General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, Jimmy Kim; Assemblymember Jessica M. Caloza; Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez; and Executive Director of the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, Khydeeja Alam. The speakers commended Sri Lanka's role as the Host Country of the 45th Los Angeles Lotus Festival and underscored the importance of cultural diversity, community engagement, and international friendship in strengthening the multicultural fabric of the City of Los Angeles.

Multi-award-winning television journalist Ruby Lovell delivered a special presentation highlighting Sri Lanka's unique tourism attractions and exceptional travel experiences.

Minister (Commerce) and Deputy Consul General, Rekha Mallikarachchi delivered the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka, expressing sincere appreciation to the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Lotus Festival Inc. for selecting Sri Lanka as the Host Country for the 2026 festival. She also acknowledged the valuable support extended by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Foreign Employment in promoting Sri Lanka's tourism, culture, and national image through the festival.

A major highlight of the opening ceremony was a spectacular Sri Lankan cultural performance showcasing the country's diverse traditional dance forms, presented by six Sri Lankan dance academies based in Southern California. The performances beautifully reflected Sri Lanka's rich artistic traditions and received enthusiastic appreciation from the large audience attending the festival.

Throughout the two-day festival, the Sri Lanka Pavilion attracted thousands of visitors by showcasing the country's tourism attractions, cultural heritage, traditional handicrafts, and photographic exhibitions while extending authentic Sri Lankan hospitality. Visitors enjoyed complimentary tastings of world-renowned Ceylon Tea while exploring displays highlighting Sri Lanka's natural beauty, history, and cultural diversity. The pavilion also featured the "Beauty of Sri Lanka" photographic exhibition, generously supported by the America Sri Lanka Photographic Art Society, together with captivating tourism videos promoting the country's many attractions.

Visitors also experienced an authentic taste of Sri Lanka through a complimentary traditional Sri Lankan breakfast, thoughtfully prepared and organized by members of the Sri Lankan community in Los Angeles. The culinary experience quickly emerged as one of the festival's most popular attractions, offering visitors an opportunity to sample a variety of traditional Sri Lankan delicacies while showcasing the country's rich culinary heritage and warm hospitality. The breakfast received widespread appreciation from festival attendees and provided a memorable glimpse into Sri Lanka's renowned hospitality and vibrant gastronomic traditions.

A special highlight of Sri Lanka's participation was the visit of the Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass to the Sri Lanka Pavilion. During her visit, Mayor Bass viewed exhibits showcasing Sri Lanka's rich cultural heritage, tourism attractions, traditional handicrafts, and photographic displays. She also interacted with members of the Sri Lankan community and volunteers, underscoring the significance of Sri Lanka's role as the Host Country of the 45th Los Angeles Lotus Festival 2026. Mayor Bass expressed her appreciation to the Consulate General of Sri Lanka for organizing an impressive and engaging presentation that enriched the spirit of the Lotus Festival.

The Consulate General expressed its sincere appreciation to the Sri Lankan Buddhist temples in Southern California, religious leaders representing all faiths for their blessings and support, and the Sri Lankan community organizations, volunteers, performing artists, media organizations, sponsors, and well-wishers whose generous contributions ensured the successful organization of Sri Lanka's participation.

Sri Lanka's participation as the Host Country at the 45th Los Angeles Lotus Festival 2026 provided an exceptional platform to promote the country's tourism, culture, arts, cuisine, and heritage while further strengthening the longstanding friendship and cultural ties between Sri Lanka and the United States. The overwhelming response from visitors and the Sri Lankan community demonstrated the growing interest in Sri Lanka as a unique tourism destination and as a nation rich in cultural diversity, history, and tradition.

Consulate General of Sri Lanka
Los Angeles

15 July 2026