Sunday Times 2
Historic Ceylon Tea Party makes its way across the globe to New York
View(s):Diplomats, journalists, business owners, traders and buyers flocked to the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in New York on Thursday to become a part of history as Sri Lanka celebrates 150 years of the Ceylon tea industry.
Ambassador Dr. Rohan Perera, delivers the welcome address
The global tea party spanning more than fifty cities in the world was held in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association.
The celebrations at the Mission premises in New York also featured a photo exhibition titled “The Story of Ceylon Tea” that included banner style story boards narrating the story of Ceylon Tea, beautiful Black &White prints of a bygone era and large colorful panels detailing the health benefits of tea.
Dr. Rohan Perera, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, in welcoming ambassadors and other guests noted that the Sri Lanka tea industry had the most developed marketing and value adding capacity amongst the tea producing countries.
Sri Lanka, therefore, has the highest percentage of value added exports amongst all tea producers and has one of the most advanced and competitive Auction centers that adds to the total value, he said.
“Sustainability, both environmental and social, takes pride of place. Sri Lanka’s tea industry adheres to almost all the international conventions, agreements and certifications related with the environment, including the Montreal Protocol to protect the Ozone layer. It is the first ‘Ozone Friendly’ certified tea in the world,” the ambassador said.
Dr. Perera also stated that North America is the world’s most lucrative market for tea and that Ceylon Tea has a long relationship with the United States..
Gail Gastelu, owner/publisher of The Tea House Times addressing the gathering
The Tea House Times owner and publisher Gail Gastelu, who is currently serving on the Tea Association of the USA’s Specialty Tea Institute Advisory Board, also spoke.
Guests queued up to taste different flavoured teas from the various regions in Sri Lanka: Flavoured teas, iced tea, tea punch, tea biscuits, as well as other traditional food items.
Guest were able to smell the aroma of Sri Lanka tea samples on display, view the gift teas and exhibits, experience the serenity of Sri Lanka’s cascading tea gardens, and learn about tea production from leaf to exhilarating cup, an embassy statement said.
Background music during the tea party included popular Sri Lankan melodies.
Tea has been the flavor of the day 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 in May, June and July featuring Ceylon Tea. This included a week long exhibition and tea tasting at the United Nations in New York, participation in an international Bazaar organised by the UN and participation by Sri Lanka at the Le Salon du Café/Thé – an international tasting adventure, organised by the UN Correspondents Association (UNCA) in collaboration with the Arab Ladies Club at the UN (ALUN), the statement said.
Participants at the Global Ceylon Tea Party, held at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in New York