The Embassy of Sri Lanka in France, together with the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka to the UNESCO, organized a Sri Lanka Bazaar on May 11, 2007 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

The two-fold aim of this endeavour was to project Sri Lanka/ Sri Lankan products and raise funds for charity, specifically in aid of displaced children in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

The Bazaar sold Sri Lankan food items such as and short eats, rice and curry and string hoppers provided free of charge by two Sri Lankan catering services in Paris. Ceylon tea was served at the tea stall. Tea packs donated by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and handicrafts and artifacts brought down from Laksala in Sri Lanka were also sold.

The Sri Lanka Tourist Board Office in Paris was present at the bazaar as well. Other participants included Ayubowan, a women’s charitable organization in Mirissa, set up with the objective of creating jobs and restarting businesses for women who have lost everything to the Tsunami. Cloth handbags produced by the women of Mirissa were sold at the bazaar.

Bayardère, the Barefoot outlet in Paris, and Guyapi, a France-based company engaged in the sale of natural products, mainly from Sri Lanka, also sold their products at the event.

It is the first time that such an event was organized by the Sri Lanka Embassy with the Permanent Delegation to UNESCO. The high turnout of the diplomatic corps, UNESCO staff and the Sri Lankan community was testament to the success of the Bazaar.