On August 26, 2020 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation Prof. M.D. Lamawansa accompanied by Mr. Mohamed Anas, Deputy Head of Mission, Ms. Nirosha Herath, Second Secretary (Cultural matters and Education), Ms. Olessya Romanova, Personal Assistant to H. E. the Ambassador and Ms. Yulia Builova, Culture Promotion Assistant, paid a visit to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

The Embassy team was received by the Deputy Director of the Department of Museums and External Affairs Mr. Anton Kuznetsov, Head of the International Cultural Cooperation Division Ms. Alina Ivashchenko, Counsellor of the International Cultural Cooperation Division Mr. Ilya Mulin.
Ambassador Prof. M.D. Lamawansa pointed out that cultural relations between Soviet Union (later Russia) and Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) started along with the establishment of the diplomatic relationship thanks to the efforts of the first Ambassador of the USSR to Ceylon H.E. Vladimir G. Yakovlev and Ambassador of Ceylon to the USSR H.E. Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera.
H.E. Prof. M.D. Lamawansa and Mr. Anton Kuznetsov spoke about the priority areas for development of cultural collaboration between Russia and Sri Lanka. The Ambassador emphasized the need to set up a Sri Lankan Cultural Society including Sri Lankan community and student residing in Moscow. The particular attention was brought to the initiative of establishing Sri Lankan Cultural Center in Moscow as a Sri Lankan identity mark to promote culture, traditions, history and language of Sri Lanka in Russia. The matters pertaining to facilitation of Sri Lankan cultural events in Russia, links between cultural institutions of both countries and people-to-people collaboration through culture were also discussed during the meeting.
The parties underlined that both the online format of interaction, which was introduced during the pandemic, and face-to-face cooperation would move Culture forward providing wider opportunities to the world to participate in the Cultural exhibitions and Fora with and without physical presence.