External Affairs Minister   S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday virtually inaugurated the Jaffna Cultural Centre. The cultural centre has been constructed with an Indian grant.

In Colombo, both ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on supporting Buddhist culture and heritage. They also virtually toured an ongoing camp in Jaffna on fitting ‘Jaipur Foot’.

“Thank Prime Minister @PresRajapaksa for his gracious welcome. Our discussions were followed by some notable events: Witnessed the signing of an agreement on supporting Buddhist culture and heritage,” Jaishankar tweeted.

The purpose of the Jaffna Cultural Centre is to provide suitable social infrastructure for the people of the Northern Province, especially for the people of Jaffna, to help them to reconnect with their cultural roots as well as with the rest of the country and to rejuvenate and nurture the ancient cultural heritage of Jaffna.

The Centre will enable the people of Jaffna to enjoy various local and international cultural products. It would also serve as a delivery centre for training, instruction and education in a variety of cultural disciplines. The Centre is developed as an iconic building that will emerge as a cultural forum that embodies coexistence and cooperation amongst the various communities on the island.

Jaishankar arrived in Colombo on Sunday. He called on Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as part of his three-day visit.

He reviewed various dimensions of India-Sri Lanka’s close neighbourly relationship and assured Gotabaya of India’s continued cooperation and understanding.

“Pleased to call on President @GotabayaR of Sri Lanka. Reviewed various dimensions of our close neighbourly relationship. Assured him of India’s continued cooperation and understanding,” Jaishankar tweeted.

During the meeting, Sri Lankan President thanked Jaishankar for assistance in form of a USD 1 billion credit line.

“Met with Indian Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar today, and I expressed my gratitude to the Government of #India for the invaluable assistance provided recently via the line of credit, on behalf of the people of #lka,” wrote the official Twitter account of The President of Sri Lanka.

During his bilateral visit, Jaishankar will also attend the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) meeting.