External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris, during his bilateral discussions in Berlin with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, emphasized that conditions in Sri Lanka today are conducive to significant expansion of trade and investment relations between the two countries.  Germany, he pointed out, is the second largest investor from the European Union in Sri Lanka, a very significant source of tourism, and the largest source of grant and soft loan assistance from the European Union to Sri Lanka.  In these circumstances, it is important for Germany to be fully informed, Minister Peiris said, about current developments in Sri Lanka.

The island in the Indian Ocean is a magical place where luxury and nature are combined to a wonderful mix

Sri Lanka’s biggest treasure lies just before the doorstep: the Indian Ocean. In the morning, it resembles a well-polished silver mirror; at midday, the sun lets thousands of diamonds sparkle; at night, the sea gives the impression of being a dark-blue blanket made of precious velvet. Sri Lanka has a total of 1340 km of beaches. Especially in the south, one paradise is located next to each other. Rekawa Beach is one of them: gold-coloured fine sand, palm trees that move with the light breeze and only a few tourists—here you can find the ultimate relaxation from the stress of everyday life. You cannot only enjoy sun, sand and waves in the Weligama Bay, but also a peculiarity of Sri Lanka: the stilt fishing. Almost motionless the fishermen sit on long wooden poles at the beach and wait until flood brings their catch to them. Stilt fishing belongs to the traditional image of Sri Lanka as do elephants, which are venerated on the island state for their wisdom and strength. The closest you can get to them is in the Yala National Park in the southeast of the country.

Heritance Ayurveda Maha Gedara was recognised as the "Best Ayurveda Resort" at the fourth FIT Health and Wellness Award held at ITB 2013 in Berlin, the world's largest travel fair.

The FIT Health and Wellness Awards are presented in three categories – "Best Ayurveda Resort", "Best Health and Spa Resort" and "Best Active Wellness Resort". FIT Reisen is Europe's largest tour operator for wellness holidays. The accolade was awarded based on guest experiences with similar resorts across the globe.

SRI LANKA. A bloody civil war raged in the north of Sri Lanka for more than a quarter of a century. A resettlement of the embattled areas has taken place since the officially declared peace about three years ago. Infrastructure, however, is largely destroyed. Thanks to the company Thomas Cook AG, one of the urgently needed schools could be opened.