About SLF

Mission

The mission of Sri Lanka Foundation is to help
Sri Lankan communities worldwide and to share with
the people internationally the cultural, artistic, philosophical
and technical attributes of Sri Lanka.

Our Vision

Sri Lanka Foundation seeks to empower and inspire hope for improved lives and livelihoods of Sri Lankans and related communities worldwide.

General

The Sri Lanka Foundation is a 501 C (3) non-profit organization formed in April 2003 by Walter Jayasinghe, M.D., a well known Sri Lankan-American physician in Los Angeles. Its head office is in Los Angeles, California. The main focus of the foundation is to promote Sri Lankan culture in the United States and globally. In addition, an annual Award Presentation ceremony is held to render due recognition to the members of the Sri Lankan Expatriate community who make a difference in the world. This annual event has brought recognition and prestige to deserving individuals within the community in all fields of human discipline.
In December 2004, in response to the terrible tragedy that lay in the wake of the deadly tsunami, the Sri Lanka Foundation expanded its scope of activities to raise funds for relief efforts. The Foundation formed a separate disaster relief fund. The first phase was to provide immediate relief with medical personnel, medicine, dry food, water purification tablets, infant formula, clothing, tents and other essential items. The second phase was to provide long term relief such as housing and job rehabilitation. The third phase is to implement foster care, scholarships and to rebuild communities.

We have completed housing along the coastlines from Kalutara to Hambantota and are planning for further rebuilding work with the help of non-profit organizations in Sri Lanka. The coir weaving industry, which was also adversely affected by the tsunami in December 2004, got a lift from a donation from Sri Lanka Foundation that helped the weavers rekindle their hope of rejuvenating their livelihoods.

Sri Lanka Foundation publishes the “Sri Lankan Good News”, a monthly publication highlighting the cultural and social events of the Sri Lankan community around the world. The Sri Lankan Good News publication is sent free of charge and reaches nearly seven thousand Sri Lankan households globally.

The “Sri Lanka Day Expo” is a one-day annual event hosted by the Sri Lanka Foundation at the world famous 3rd Street promenade in Santa Monica, California. The Sri Lanka Day Expo showcases Sri Lankan musicians, dancers, food and businesses and attracts nearly five thousand Sri Lankan living in the U.S.A and Canada. In addition to the Sri Lankan community, the 3rd street promenade location allows for more than fifty thousand American’s to experience Sri Lankan culture during the expo.

The “Sri Lanka Foundation Awards” is an annual award presentation ceremony held to render due recognition to the members of the Sri Lankan expatriate community who make a difference in the world. This annual event has brought recognition and prestige to deserving individuals within the community in all fields of human discipline.

The annual golf tournament was established by the Sri Lanka Foundation to meet the need of the Sri Lankan community for a sports event and has now become one of the favorite sporting events for the Sri Lankan community.

The YES! World Youth Conference is a program hosted by Sri Lanka Foundation for Young Expatriates of Sri Lanka who are living all over the and requested such an annual event to develop youth activities in the Sri Lankan community. A first of its kind conference for youth of Sri Lankan origin, the YES! World Youth Conference gives an opportunity to network, learn about Sri Lankan culture and to develop plans to help Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Foundation remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and uses MySpace.com, Facebook.com and Flickr.com to reach out to the Sri Lankan community and to increase awareness of the activities undertaken by the Foundation. Sri Lanka Foundation was the first and perhaps the only non-profit organization representing Sri Lanka with a office in Second Life- a rapidly expanding virtual world which uses cutting edge technology to bring together private, commercial, educational, political, government and non profit organizations and individuals from around the world.

The annual Beauty Pageant hosted by the Sri Lankan Foundation is a favorite event for the Sri Lankan community to showcase their beautiful fashions and to be selected as the glamorous Miss. Sri Lanka U.SA and Miss. Teen Sri Lanka U.S.A. The Beauty Pageant also allows the lovely ladies to talk about their Sri Lankan heritage and their personal talents and ambitions to earn the crown.

Every year, the city of Los Angeles looks forward to the cultural concert hosted by Sri Lanka Foundation, which brings unique Sri Lankan performers such as Pradeep Ratnayake and the Channa Upuli dance troupe to enthrall an appreciative audience.