COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka, a British colony between 1802 and 1948, was called Ceylon until 1972 when the country became a republic. Despite the name change, its hallmark produce -- tea -- has survived and fed the revival of postcolonial Sri Lanka as a national beverage. Much like Koreans who habitually drink coffee throughout the day, Sri Lankans have long taken pride in the production and consumption of Ceylon tea, introduced to the country in 1867 by British planter James Taylor. Unleashing a poten

The hotel industry in Sri Lanka is rising, adding to a growing list of international accolades from guidebooks and magazines, including the Lonely Planet and the National Geographic Traveler. Along with infrastructures being built across the country, its connectivity with the world has improved, and the country welcomes tourists from all corners of the globe. Hilton Colombo, located in the capital city’s business district, offers a wide range of accommodation, from guest and executive rooms to s

SRI LANKA -- Sri Lanka, known as “the Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” is a cool getaway for restive minds, offering exotic travel, fine food and superb relaxation.From pristine beaches lined with palm trees to Buddhist sites exuding beguiling beauty, Sri Lanka provides a melange of experiences for visitors.Throughout the country, Buddhist shrines, Hindu temples, churches and mosques dot the verdant landscape teeming with wildlife, flora and fauna.  Religious festivals such as Kandy Esala Perahera, V

Amid the exacerbating global humanitarian crises, the world must devise a sound political solution to relieve the suffering of fellow citizens, a United Nations World Food Program officer said.“Humanitarian needs have exploded over the years which have made our work more difficult,” Rasmus Egendal, officer in charge of the agency’s government partnership division, told The Korea Herald on Monday. “We have to generate more resources to meet those needs, which are growing faster than the internati

Following the opposition camp‘s election sweep, the government is expected to face mounting calls for an overhaul of North Korea and other diplomatic and security policy, as well as a far-reaching Cabinet reshuffle, to include the foreign minister. Cheong Wa Dae appeared devastated the day after the Wednesday vote, which deprived President Park Geun-hye’s Saenuri Party of not only the majority, but also the largest share of the 300-strong National Assembly, with one official saying, “I can’t fig

South Korea has joined hands with the U.N. and other international organizations to launch a table tennis project for people with disabilities in Nepal, as part of efforts to support the South Asian country in the aftermath of a massive earthquake last year. Dozens of senior diplomats, officials from the involved institutions and Nepalese citizens gathered for the launching ceremony of the “NepAll” initiative in Kathmandu on April 6, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.  Wilfried Lemke (third f

Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway. (Joel Lee / The Korea Herald)Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, will visit Korea from Thursday to Saturday, her first visit since her inauguration in 2013.Solberg will have a summit meeting with President Park Geun-hye and discuss bilateral and global issues. She will also be invited to the National Assembly to speak on the importance of implementing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.On Thursday, Solberg will t

Following the adoption of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals last year, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund is stepping up humanitarian efforts around the world and garnering Korea’s critical support, a senior agency official said last week. Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of UNICEF, director of public partnership division Olav Kjorven came to Korea to strengthen collaboration. “As Korea is becoming an increasingly important player in international affairs, UNICEF values the di

Female envoys and professionals in Korea held a forum in late March to discuss empowering women in society, following the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace on March 8. The venue at Seoul Club, titled “Empowerment of Women,” was hosted by South African Ambassador Nozuko Gloria Bam, joined by 10 female ambassadors. Korean Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kang Eun-hee and World Bank special representative Joyce Msuya also participated. “Today we recommit ourselves

India will host the first maritime summit to empower global partnerships and unveil investment opportunities, and Korea is the first single-partner country. As Asia’s third-largest economy, India has concentrated efforts to industrialize its mammoth capacities, choosing the marine sector as “a means of driving the country’s economic transformation and enhancing connections with the world,” according to Indian Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami.A maiden undertaking, the Maritime India Summit 2016 will