H.E.Samantha K. Jayasuriya the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand 07 August 2019
Ambassador & Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka attends 8th South and South-West Asia Forum on Sustainable Development in New Delhi
The Eighth South and South-West Asia Forum on Sustainable Development has taken place in New Delhi, India from 11th to 12th November 2024, co-hosted by the NITI Aayog of the Government of India and Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator, with a strong call for renewed commitment, accelerated efforts and innovative solutions to meet development ambitions. The Ambassador & Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in Bangkok, E.A.S. Wijayanthi Edirisinghe was invited to attend the forum.
Promoting Buddhist Religious Tourism: Sri Lanka and Thailand Collaborate on ‘Solosmastana’ Documentary
The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand (Thai PBS), are producing a documentary on ‘Solosmastana’, featuring the 16 sacred religious sites of Sri Lanka. This initiative aims to strengthen Buddhist religious tourism between the two nations, highlighting shared cultural and spiritual heritage.
Immediately prior to been appointed as H.E. The Ambassador to Thailand, she served as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva (September 2014- July 2019) . Her professional service at Sri Lanka’s overseas Missions include Minister/Deputy Chief of Mission in Sri Lanka Embassy to Belgium, Luxemburg & European Union (August 2012-August 2014), Counselors/First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York (August 2006 -December 2009), and Second Secretary/Third Secretary of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Stockholm-Sweden (February 2000 – March 2003).
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, she held the positions of Director (March 2010-July 2012) and Deputy Director (May 2005 – July 2006) of the United Nations, Multilateral Affairs, Human Rights and Conferences Division, Deputy Director (April 2003-August 2003) of the Public Communications division, and Assistant Director (July 1998 – January 2000) of the South Asia and SAARC Division.
She has represented Sri Lanka in the three-member UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinians and Other Arabs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Special Committee on Israeli Practices) in 2008 and in 2014 respectively.
Mrs.Jayasuriya has also served as a member of the respective Sri Lanka delegations to the following treaty bodies reviews and made interventions at oral reviews and was involved in the preparation of Sri Lanka’s submissions to; ICCPR (2014), CERD, CAT and CMW (2016), and CEDAW (2017), ICESCR ( 2017), CRC (2018) and 3rdCycle of UPR in 2018.
She holds a Masters of Arts Degree from University of Japan (IUJ) on a ADB Scholarship. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mrs.Jaysuriya served in the Economic Affairs Department of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, as an Assistant Lecturer, pursuant to her graduation from the Faculty with BSc (Hons) degree in Agriculture with specialization in Agricultural Economics. Having obtained a Diploma in Journalism, Ambassador Jayasuriya also practiced briefly as a freelance journalist.
She is married to Mr. Prashantha Wijesinha and having one daughter.
