Little Leaders Foundation is an organization located in the Netherlands, yet we have been executing various projects in a country on the other side of the world: Sri Lanka. The kick-off of our Sponsor A Child project was in December 2020 and we are hopeful to continue working here for many more years. Our sponsors get updates about our Little Leaders, their educational journey and their living conditions. But what do you actually know about Sri Lanka, the country where our Little Leaders are growing up?

Sri Lanka is a country in South-East Asia that is located in the Indian Ocean near the south coast of India. The capital of Sri Lanka is Colombo, where the main airport is located and where tourists often begin their holiday. Sri Lanka’s population is approximately 21.6 million citizens, of which 24.1% are youth. A lot of people may know Sri Lanka, also known as the island Ceylon, a former colony of Portugal, the Netherlands and Great Britain. However, the interesting facts stated below are some that you might haven’t heard of yet!

The world’s first female prime minister is Sinhalese!

Sirimavo R.D. Bandaranaike (1916-2000) became the world’s first female prime minister in 1960 when her party won the elections in Sri Lanka. Her time as prime minister ended in 1965, although she returned to serve two more terms from 1970 until 1977 and 1994 until 2000 (which was the year in which she passed away). Sirimavo Bandaranaike has opened doors for many other women in politics and has left a huge impact on the history of female leadership.

Cricket versus volleyball

Sport plays a significant part in Sinhalese culture. Cricket is a well-known sport in Sri Lanka, which is often played by youth and adults. Cricket is played all over the country, most children even go as far as to create self-made tools to play cricket with. This might be the reason why people are not aware of the fact that volleyball is actually the national sport of Sri Lanka. It was officially declared Sri Lanka’s national sport in 1991, but it was introduced as a game in Sri Lanka around 1916. Even though Sri Lanka’s national sport is volleyball, the most popular sport amongst citizens remains cricket. 

The Sinhalese greeting

If you have ever visited Sri Lanka, you probably have heard the Sinhalese phrase ‘Ayubowan’ many times. Most people think it is a translation for the word ‘welcome’, as it is often used as a greeting. The meaning of this phrase is rather more extensive. Ayubowan means “may you be blessed with a long life", which is a perfect resemblance to the great hospitality in the Sinhalese culture. What a beautiful way to welcome a stranger or greet a friend!

In for some tea?

Sri Lanka is well known for its Ceylon Tea, which is a product transported all around the world. Although the tea carries Sri Lanka’s former name, it is mostly the Tamil people who are working on Sri Lanka’s tea plantations. The Tamils have been part of Sri Lanka’s population since the 19th century and the number of Tamils is now estimated at around 3 million. The Tamils originated from India and were sent from Tamil Nadu (India) to Sri Lanka as migrant workers. They execute exhausting labour that others refuse to do in exchange for little payment. Most of them work as leaf pluckers, who are paid per kilo of tea leaves. So the credits due of the delicious Ceylon Tea should perhaps be rewarded to the Tamils…

Why the Sinhalese celebrate the Full Moon 

Full Moon day, also called ‘Poya Day’, is a national holiday in Sri Lanka. Every full moon carries its own name and commemorates key events in Buddhism. Therefore, the Full Moon days are of religious significance. Buddhism is the main religion of Sri Lanka, as 70.2% of the population is Buddhist. The day of the Full Moon, which happens every month, is a day meant to be spent with your family, to visit a temple or to share food with people in your neighbourhood. The Full Moon Day offers a chance to show solidarity within your community and to help the people who have less to celebrate with.

One flag, multiple meanings

Sri Lanka’s national flag is colourful and each element has a specific meaning. The leaves on the flag represent the four virtues of Buddhism: kindness, compassion, equanimity and happiness. The lion represents the brave nature of the Sinhalese people, the sword is a symbol of sovereignty, the lion’s tail represents the Noble Eightfold Path and the lion’s beard represents the purity of words. All colours carry different aspects of Sri Lankan populations, such as red representing the Sinhalese, green representing the Moors, orange representing the Tamil, and yellow is a symbol for all cultures living in harmony. The flag honours Sri Lanka’s citizens, their history, culture and prevalent religions.

Of course there is much more to tell about Sri Lanka! If you happen to know other fun facts about Sri Lanka that we haven’t touched upon in our short article, leave a comment below!