Two German volleyball teams to visit SL in August
The German volleyball teams have been invited to Sri Lanka by Asian German Sports Exchange Programme (AGSEP) to take part in friendly encounters with local teams
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Germany, Karunasena Hettiarachchi invited the two German volleyball teams scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in August to a dinner reception at his official residence in Berlin last week.
In a show of solidarity after the Easter Sunday terror attacks that shocked the country, the German sportsmen confirmed their participation in friendly matches in Sri Lanka.
The two teams plus the coach, reserve players and some volleyball enthusiasts from Berlin will comprise a group of 27 that is due to arrive in SL soon.
Ambassador Karunasena’s move to host the two teams to dinner would send a strong signal to all Germans that Sri Lanka has restored normalcy and is now ready to accord a gracious welcome to tourists from around the world to visit this resplendent island and enjoy its natural beauty and unmatched warm hospitality.
A cultural programme with traditional Kandyan dancers was also lined up to entertain the visitors at the reception hosted by the Ambassador.
The German volleyball teams have been invited to Sri Lanka by Asian German Sports Exchange Programme (AGSEP) to take part in friendly encounters with local teams.
AGSEP Sri Lanka has been in operation for over 30 years and has been instrumental in bringing down more than 5,000 German sports men and women to participate in various events in Sri Lanka.
The aim of AGSEP is primarily to foster closer relationships between the sports fraternity of both countries.
Spokesman for AGSEP Dr. Dietmar Doering expressed optimism that the two-week proposed stay of the German volleyball teams will relay a positive message to the German tourism industry and trigger a return to normalcy for Sri Lanka’s shattered tourism sector.
He deeply appreciated the commendable move of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Berlin to host a dinner reception for the two German sports teams and thereby help in efforts to promote Sri Lanka and revive its image and standing as a ‘Land Like No Other’, which the country enjoyed before the terror attacks.
The Ambassador and his wife wished the sportsmen a pleasant stay in Sri Lanka and requested them to visit Sri Lanka again in the near future.
As volleyball is the National sport in Sri Lanka, many local teams have already expressed interest in meeting the visiting German teams.
Among the highlights will be a friendly encounter the visitors are billed to participate in with a selected team of former Sri Lankan national players in Negombo organised by Mervyn Fernandopulle, a hotelier and well-known tourism expert in Sri Lanka.
Sports tourism is a sector which could be further developed by promoting club teams from Europe to participate in reciprocal exchange programmes. AGSEP, in collaboration with the Sports Ministry, is looking forward to inviting more teams from Germany to take part in these programmes, Dr. Doering said.