A discussion took place today (2nd) at the Presidential Secretariat between Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, and Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka.
The meeting focused on the possible return of ancient artefacts and manuscripts currently held in the Netherlands to Sri Lanka.
According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), this initiative is part of efforts to reclaim Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage.
Ambassador Bonnie Horbach expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended by the Government of Sri Lanka in this process.
She emphasized that the initiative offers a valuable opportunity to enhance cultural relations between the two countries.
The Netherlands government has adopted a policy to return colonial-era artefacts to their countries of origin, as part of broader reconciliation efforts with former colonies.
In line with this policy, a research programme has been launched to facilitate the restitution of such cultural objects.
Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have agreed to jointly conduct research on colonial-era artefacts currently preserved in the Netherlands.
As a first step, researchers from both countries will examine a collection of ancient manuscripts, under the guidance of Sri Lanka’s Department of National Archives.
Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamange and Krishen Mendis, Cultural Affairs Advisor to the Netherlands Ambassador, were also present at the meeting.
