America-Sri Lanka Photographic Art Society Los Angeles (ASPAS), in association with the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles, will hold ‘The Beauty of Sri Lanka’ the third annual photographic Exhibition on April 22nd and 23rd 2023 at the Art Gallery of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in commemoration of the Earth Day 2023 and the 75th anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between Sri Lanka and the United States.

The Exhibition will be ceremonially opened to the public on April 22nd at 11.00 am and run through to Sunday 23rd, 5 pm.

The Exhibition under the theme of ‘Sri Lanka in Focus’ is designed to promote tourism in Sri Lanka. As such, it will depict the scenic beauty of the country as well as the 2500-year-old historical and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. This Exhibition is also designed to introduce viewers to a range of issues that currently impact the environment. Commemorating Earth Day 2023, the keynote speaker Prof. Glen MacDonald, a distinguished Professor of Ecology and Geography, will address such concerns.

The Exhibition will include a series of related events, including a seminar, lectures, and a cultural performance led by Sandani S Kahandugoda, Director of Cultural Affairs (ASPAS), an exponent of Sri Lankan traditional dance forms, and former lead dancer of famed Chithrasena dance Academy; along with Waruna Hemachandra, an exponent of former traditional drumming who toured several countries with the Chitrasena dance Acadamy. Thath Jith Dance School students, directed by Prasanna Yamasinghe, will also perform. There will also be a screening of the award-winning wildlife documentary “The Great Elephant Gathering of Asia,” a film directed by Dilum Alagiyawanna on the annual elephant gathering at the Minneriya National Park. As exhibitors and participants of the seminars and lectures, ASPAS has invited several specialists from Sri Lanka whose presence will enhance the exhibition program attracting the American public to the event.