Annual Gourmet Event: ‘Flavours of Sri Lanka 2026’ brings two cultures together

To strengthen people-to-people connections through cultural exchange, the Sri Lanka Embassy in Yangon hosted its annual gourmet event to introduce the authentic flavours of Sri Lanka. MITV reporter Sharr Sat Maw visited the event to explore the rich flavours of Sri Lankan cuisines. Let's take a look.

The “Flavours of Sri Lanka 2026” Food Festival brought the rich cultural heritage, tourism attractions and culinary traditions of Sri Lanka to Yangon. The event showcased a wide range of Sri Lankan cuisine, cultural attractions, products and services.

It also offered visitors an opportunity to explore Sri Lanka's unique traditions, experience its diverse flavours and gain a deeper appreciation of the country's cultural identity.

Beyond promoting Sri Lanka’s tourism, culture and products, the event also aims to strengthen the longstanding friendship and bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Ambassador, H.E. Ponnamperuma Arachchige Prabashini Ponnamperuma, Embassy of Sri Lanka said “This is the third consecutive year of holding this event. The main purpose is to enhance visibility. First, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have very close relations, with deep historical roots, mainly based on Theravada Buddhist traditions. At the moment, we have a limited level of connectivity in the areas of economic, trade and commercial activities. One of the main purposes is to increase people-to-people contact, introduce Sri Lanka to Myanmar and let people know more about our country. One way to introduce our country is through food, because food traditions are part of the culture. So, when we introduce our food, we also introduce our culture, heritage, history and many other aspects. That is what our idea is.”

For the chefs, preparing authentic Sri Lankan cuisine meant bringing the original flavours of their homeland to Myanmar, using traditional ingredients and spices.

Chef, Chinthana Dimuth Pathirana said “When I go to different countries, I use authentic Sri Lankan spices. So I just brought them directly from Sri Lanka to cook most of the dishes. We need to give the touch of Sri Lankan food. That is one of the main challenges, as we cannot find all the spices we need here in Myanmar.”

The festival also attracted international guests who appreciated the cultural similarities between the two countries and welcomed the opportunity to experience Sri Lankan cuisine, tourism and hospitality.

Shammi Jayathilake, Sri Lankan Guest said "It is a nice opportunity for Sri Lanka to explore Myanmar. Myanmar and Sri Lanka have many similarities……… cultural similarities. It is very nice for us to showcase Sri Lankan cuisine, which is famous around the world and also has similarities with Myanmar cuisine as well. Today, more than 350 guests …… explore Sri Lankan cuisine, tourist destinations and experiences, as well as learn about the country's key attractions and great hospitality. It is a wonderful event, and it’s so nice to meet many Myanmar nationals from different professional field and also diplomats."

Through cultural exchange and culinary experiences, the festival is expected to further deepen mutual understanding and people-to-people connections between the two countries. SSM for MITV, reporting from Yangon.