General: 300 Sri Lankans to benefit from Asian-German Sports Exchange Programme

The Asian German Sports Exchange Programme (AGSEP), a Sri Lankan government associated organisation, been in operation in Sri Lanka for over three decades, has reactivated its sports exchange programme with Germany and other European countries this year.   In the past, AGSEP was instrumental in organizing German-Sri Lankan sports exchange programmes where over 300 Sri Lankan sports people were benefited by traveling to Germany and engaging in sport programmes with German sport clubs.   The Sri Lanka national table tennis teams in the 90's and 2000's, participated with 12 German tours covering almost all major cities in Germany.   They played friendly matches with over 100 German clubs. Since the AGSEP exchange programme is based on reciprocal ideas, initiating German sports clubs with their respective players and fans to take part in the return matches in Sri Lanka.   Over 5000 German sports people used this unique opportunity and participated in the programme.   Apart from the positive social impacts this programme generated, the economic factors for the Sri Lankan tourism are significant too.   In a news conference the AGSEP CEO Dr. Dietmar Doering, in the capital of Germany, Berlin based directors Birthe Gehrmann, Josephine Laurisch, Dennis Heise, Florian Gericke and Sascha Schreck outlined the programme for the years 2016 to 2021.