Sunday Times 2
150 years of a Lankan cuppa at the UN
View(s):UNITED NATIONS — A spectacular week-long photo exhibition of Ceylon tea titled “The Story of Ceylon Tea” was on display at the United Nations last week to celebrate 150 years of Ceylon Tea.
The exhibition featuring banner style story boards narrating the story of Ceylon Tea, photographs that include beautiful B&W prints of a bygone era and large colorful panels detailing the health benefits of tea was organised by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tea Board. The event also included tea-tasting by diplomats, UN staffers and journalists.
Enthusiastic crowd at the exhibition
The featured daily tea tasting from 1p.m. – 3p.m. during the week-long exhibition attracted more than 150 guests per day. Guests queued up to taste different flavoured teas, plus Sri Lankan tea biscuits, including the traditional lemon puff and cheese bits, and smell the aroma of Sri Lanka tea on display. The visitors also viewed the tea exhibits, experienced the serenity of Sri Lanka’s cascading tea gardens, and learnt about tea production– from leaf to exhilarating cup. Following the exhibition, inquiries about where to purchase Ceylon Tea in New York have been mounting with many wanting to purchase the colourful packs on display.
To cater to the demand generated by the exhibition, the Sri Lanka Mission will prominently participate in another event — the Annual UN International Bazaar which will feature a wide variety of Sri Lankan teas, plus other Sri Lankan produce and cuisine. This International Bazaar, organised by the UN Women’s Guild annually, brings together all diplomatic missions to share the best of their culture, national cuisine, handmade crafts, and traditions. It is aimed at helping children all over the world. This year’s proceeds will benefit Syrian refugees.
Tea has been the flavour of the month at the United Nations in New York due to the enthusiastic participation and organisation of events by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN. Last week, the Mission also actively participated at the Le Salon du Café/Thé international tasting adventure, organised by the UN Correspondents Association (UNCA) in collaboration with the Arab Ladies Club at the UN (ALUN).
Sri Lanka, one of the foremost tea producing countries in the world, was one of about 10 countries featured at the event held at the spacious General Assembly lobby at the UN headquarters in New York. The Sri Lanka Table offered a variety of teas including iced tea with lemon/ginger – which was a huge hit on a hot day. Traditional tea time favourites, coconut rock and milk toffee were also a popular hit with the stream of guests that congregated at the colourful Sri Lanka/Ceylon Tea Table. A DJ hired for the occasion played Sri Lanka favorites such as Udarata Kandukara, Ran Kurahan Mala and Sandawathiye.
The month long celebrations to mark 150 years of the world’s finest teas will culminate with a global tea party to be held in July 2017 in New York and in other cities around the world.