An unprecedented number of Lankan craftsmen were felicitated for the first time at Shilpa Abhimani National Handicrafts Awards ceremony in Polgolla, Kandy.
Bestowing the accolades to Lankan crafts sector was none other than HE the President Maithripala Sirisena, who was joined by the Minister of Industry & Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and the State Minister of Industry & Commerce Champika Premadasa. The Shilpa Abhimani Presidential Awards session of 01 March in Polgolla, Kandy was organised by the National Crafts Council under Minister Bathiudeen.
The 01 March event honoured almost 600 winners of 2016 November Handicrafts Competition held along with 2016 SAARC Handicraft Exhibition in November 2016. The winners were selected from a wide range of handicraft sectors- from clay, mats, fibres, jute, cotton,ย cane & bamboo, metal, jewellery related crafts, masks & puppets, carvings, musical instruments, textiles & textile based, lace, lacquer works, wood based crafts, leather crafts, stone based crafts and paintings & sculptures-and even specialised crafts such as Batik and Sri Lankaโs own Dumbara designs.
The 2016 SAARC Handicraft Exhibition at BMICH was held from November 17-20, 2016, with more than 30000 participants. It was the first ever such national handicrafts expo that was held in Sri Lanka with international participants. It was joined by craftsmen from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, a first ever such collaboration seen in Sri Lankan crafts sector.
Leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress