Traditional Kandyan Drum recital by Sri Lankan descent American youth at State Department festival

A group of Sri Lankan descent American youth performed a recital of traditional Kandyan Drums at the 10th Annual Cultural Celebration organized by the South Asian American Employee Association of the U.S. Department of State recently.

According to a statement issued by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington DC, other performances by youth included those from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan at this annual South Asian cultural celebration.

The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the U.S. Rodney Perera and Embassy officials participated at this event, while Ambassador Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and Ambassador Atul Keshap, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs were also present. 

The young Kandyan drummers were trained by Mr. Indika Aththanayake, founder of “Sri Lanka Bera” in Maryland, U.S.