Sri Lankan New Year fest open to all this Friday
dubai — Everyone is invited to join Sri Lankan expats in the UAE as they celebrate their New Year, also called Festival of the Sun, at the Mega Bowl in Zaabeel Park, Dubai, on Friday.
To mark the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the Consulate-General of Sri Lanka, along with the Sri Lankan community, is preparing activities that will not only bring all Sri Lankans together but also introduce their culture to the UAE.
The Festival of the Sun is usually observed during the Sri Lankan harvest season in April of each year.
The upcoming festivities in Dubai will feature traditional games such as Kana Mutti (breaking earthen pots), Kotta Pora (pillow fighting),
Aliyata asa thabeema (placing an eye on the elephant), and Sangawuu
Amuththa Seweema (finding the secret guest), among others.
Visitors would also be able to have a taste of Sri Lankan cuisine
and experience their local village life through a special set-up that depicts New Year customs and other traditions in the country.
There will be free health and dental camps, blood donation drive, and a tourism zone where guests can win plane tickets and hotel stays just by sharing selfies.
Towards the end of the day, a tug-of-war event — to be participated in by the staff and families of various missions in Dubai — will be the main highlight, symbolising how Sri Lanka shares its New Year gratitude with people of all nationalities. Folk songs, local dances and cultural performances are also
lined up as part of the mega event.
The Sri Lankan mission is also putting together a special marathon, the ‘UAE–Sri Lanka Run of Tolerance 2019’.