COLOMBO: As part of activities marking the 81st National Day of Viet Nam in Sri Lanka, the Embassy of Viet Nam in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Women Entrepreneurs (CCWE), organised a Vietnamese Tea Cultural Exchange Programme, introducing the rich traditions and art of Vietnamese tea to Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs.
Welcoming participants to the programme, Ambassador of Viet Nam to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam highlighted the importance of cultural exchanges in promoting mutual understanding, friendship and closer people-to-people ties between Viet Nam and Sri Lanka.
The Ambassador expressed her pleasure at having the opportunity to introduce Vietnamese tea culture to Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs, noting that such exchanges help bring Viet Nam’s distinctive cultural heritage closer to Sri Lankan friends while creating new opportunities for meaningful connections between the two communities.
CCWE President Ayanthi Gurusinghe also expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to collaborate with the Embassy of Viet Nam in organising the special programme. She said the event provided a meaningful occasion to celebrate friendship, promote cultural understanding and strengthen the warm bonds between the peoples of Viet Nam and Sri Lanka.
The highlight of the programme was a special presentation on the traditional Vietnamese art of scenting tea with lotus flowers — a delicate craft requiring patience, precision and skill.
Lotus, regarded as a symbol of purity and elegance in Vietnamese culture, plays an important role in the country’s tea tradition. Fresh lotus flowers are carefully used to impart their distinctive fragrance to tea, creating an experience that combines refined taste with deep cultural significance.
At the programme, Vietnamese tea artisan Lam Dieu Linh, who was crowned Mrs. Vietnam in 2018, personally demonstrated the traditional process of preparing lotus-scented tea. She introduced participants to the techniques involved and shared the cultural stories and traditions behind each stage of the process.
The demonstration attracted great interest and enthusiasm from the guests, giving Sri Lankan participants an opportunity to experience first-hand one of the most refined expressions of Vietnamese tea culture.
Beyond the enjoyment of lotus tea, the programme offered a meaningful platform for cultural dialogue and people-to-people exchange. Through the fragrance of lotus tea and stories of Vietnamese heritage, the event created a unique cultural bridge connecting women entrepreneurs from Viet Nam and Sri Lanka.
The Vietnamese Tea Cultural Exchange Programme not only showcased the elegance and depth of Vietnamese tea culture but also contributed to strengthening people-to-people relations, encouraging connections between the women’s business communities of the two countries and further deepening the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Sri Lanka.
