Sri Lanka Ceylon Tea Ceremony

Sri Lanka Ceylon Tea Ceremony

November 30, 2017 

Below: excerpt from the Sri Lankan Facebook page

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Russia organized a Ceylon Tea Tasting Ceremony for the Moscow Association of Military Attaches (MAMA).
The event gathered numerous members of the Diplomatic Military Corps representing more than 30 Foreign Missions in Moscow.
During his address to the esteemed guests, His Excellency Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Russia, noted the importance of Ceylon tea not only to the bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Russia as a commodity, but as an essential part of the identity of Sri Lankan people. As H. E. the Ambassador mentioned during his address, “on several high level occasions officials of Sri Lanka and Russia have pointed out their commitment to the development of this line of cooperation further in the near future and strengthening of the role of Ceylon tea on the Russian food and beverages market”.

The official part of the event included screening of several video coverages of the tea and tourism industries of Sri Lanka as well as a presentation on Ceylon Tea given by Mr. Upul Priyantha, Head of the Tea Promotion Unit of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Russia. Also, Ms. Anna Svischeva, Russia Tea Masters Cup Champion,Tea Mixology Winner, demonstrated preparation of cold tea drinks based on Ceylon tea.
After the official part all guests were presented with an opportunity to taste various kinds of Ceylon Tea and have traditional Sri Lankan snacks.
Brigadier General Deepak Mehra, President of the Moscow Association of Military Attaches and the Military Attache of the Embassy of India in Russia, expressed his gratitude to the Embassy of Sri Lanka for organization of the Tea Tasting Ceremony on behalf of the Association.
This event became a great chance for representatives of various Diplomatic Missions of foreign states to get a touch of the true Sri Lankan culture as well as to taste Ceylon tea and to feel its uniqueness and authentic flavours which have gained love of so many people all over the globe".

Our invitation

The Sri Lankan Embassy here in Moscow

The Sri Lankan group that hosted us.
(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

Samovar for tea

Ms. Anna Svischeva, Russia Tea Masters Cup Champion,Tea Mixology Winner. She took some a fruit mixture she had prepared earlier...

 

... then added the Ceylon tea...

She takes her job seriously!

She then mixed them both together and chilled it over ice...

... then she carbonated it all!

Waiting for it to carbonate ...

... then she prepared some samples for a select few in the front rows (us!)... more (that was prepared earlier) was available for everyone

Brigadier General Deepak Mehra, Indian Defence Attache... one of the wonderful people we've had the pleasure of meeting here.
(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

His Excellency Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Russia.
(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

Group Captain Channa Dissanayake, Defence Attache of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow. He seems like a very kind and genuine person.
(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

There we are right up front.... nobody else wanted to sit up there with the speakers & Ambassador.
(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

The lovely Marcela sampling some Ceylon tea. (picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

 

(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

Kelly (beige jacket) inadvertently getting her picture taken with the North Korean officers. (picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

Deepak, such a sweet man. (picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

I was on the other side of the room when this was being taken...

(picture from Sri Lankan Embassy Facebook page)

Craig's buddies... Rastislav (Slovak Republic) & Stojan (Republic of Slovenia)

I was expecting it to me maybe a more religious-style presentation of the tea, but still, it was a lovely evening and the kind people, tea and information given about the country made me want to go there!!

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