The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC has recently commenced Tamil language classes for its staff in order to improve their language skills and, thereby, facilitate a closer interaction with the Tamil Diaspora. This initiative will also help enhance mutual understanding between the Embassy officials and the expatriate community and share their cultural commonalities.

Sri Lanka endows a diversity of ethnic groups and the two languages widly spoken are Sinhala and Tamil. Although, Sinhala and Tamil languages originate from different sources, they share many common characteristics and obviously have influence on each other's linguistic evolution as well.

Language, undoubtedly, is one of the most important element, which represents one’s cultural identity. Therefore, the Embassy believes that the both communities should make maximum endeavors to learn each other’s languages for closer interaction and to foster ethnic harmony between the two communities.

Articles 18 and 19 of Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (1978) recognize both Sinhala and Tamil as national languages.

The classes are conducted every Thursday from 5.00 pm to 6.00 pm at the Embassy premises, by a Tamil native diplomat. Interested persons in following the classes are kindly requested to contact this Mission via Tel:202483-4025 / E-mail:slembassy@slembassyusa.org.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington DC
USA

10 June 2009