Kandula's birthday celebrations in Washington

The Sri Lanka Promotion, on the occasion of the fifth birthday celebration of Sri Lankan baby elephant Kandula at the Washington National Zoo on Sunday November 19 2006, was multi-faceted.

The event focused on fun activities for him and for the kids among the visitors to the Zoo on his birthday. After Kandula's daily bath at 10 a.m., Director, Smithsonian's National Zoo, Mr. John Berry and Under Secretary for Science at the Smithsonian, Dr. Dave Evans, spoke of the Smithsonian's relationship with Sri Lanka and conservation efforts of elephants in the wild.

Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke extended warm greetings from President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his deep appreciation to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Friends of the National Zoo for collaborating with us on this event and on
elephant conservation efforts.

The Ambassador also referred to the significance of elephants in Sri Lanka's culture. "In ancient times, our kings gifted elephants to other royal courts in Asia and beyond, and that tradition continues. You may be aware that Kandula's mother, Shanthi, was a gift from the children of Sri Lanka to the National Zoo in 1976. Therefore, the elephant contributes significantly to fostering better understanding of our culture and people." Director John Berry gifted a beautifully framed "Shanti footprint" to the Ambassador.

As the visitors to the zoo gathered at the elephant outdoor yard, Director John Berry welcomed the public and explained the significance of Sri Lanka's traditional oil lamp. The lamp was lighted by Ambassador Goonetilleke, Director John Berry, and other officials.

Welcoming the visitos, Ambassador Goonetilleke said, "Kandula's birthday celebration will always be a wonderful way of building bridges of friendship and understanding between the peoples of our two countries." The Ambassador presented to Director John Berry, a beautiful, decorative batik blanket for Kandula from the people of Sri Lanka, presently displayed at the Zoo's Elephant House for public viewing.

Kandula celebrated his birthday in style with gift boxes in the elephant yard with elephant treats and other toys. Later in the day, Kandula was given a birthday "cake" made of oats, apples and wheat.

The event was further enhanced by a scintillating elephant dance from the National Women's Dance Troupe of Sri Lanka from New York and an exotic snake dance from the Sri Lanka Youth Dance group of the Greater Washington area. The pulsating rhythm and the throbbing drum beat attracted the crowds and fascinated the children.

The Sri Lanka Promotion included four stalls, promoting tourism, handicrafts, Sri Lankan food and Ceylon tea. Given the chilly weather, hot tea at the tea promotion was a tremendous hit.