A cultural event titled “Sri Lanka Night 2016” was held in Moscow on 19 February 2016 to commemorate Sri Lanka’s 68th National Day and the 59th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Russian Federation.

The celebrations to mark the 68th Independence Day of Sri Lanka in Moscow commenced with the unfurling of the national flag by H.E. Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, and the singing of the National Anthem.

Ambassador Dr. Saman Weerasinghe called on Valentina Tereshkova, a Russian former cosmonaut and the first woman to have flown into outer space, having been selected from more than four hundred applicants and five finalists to pilot Vostok-6 mission on 16 June 1963.

A friendly gathering with the Sri Lankan community in Moscow was held at the official residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka on Friday, January 22, hosted by Ambassador Dr. Saman Weerasinghe.

Ambassador Dr. Saman Weerasinghe called on Prof. Vladimir Filippov, Rector of the People’s Friendship University of Russia on 20 January 2016.

The University, formerly known as People’s Friendship University named after Patrice Lumumba, is a pioneer educational institute to receive foreign students in the USSR and Russia.

H.E. Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation called on H.E. Igor Petrishenko, Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation on 18 December 2015.

Congratulating Ambassador Dr. Weerasinghe on his new assignment, Ambassador Petrishenko noted that Belarus and Sri Lanka have had very close relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations 15 years ago.