This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Sri Lanka is one of the countries that participated in the initiative at an early stage.

The Canton & Sri Lanka International Charity Carnival, organized by the Guangzhou Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation (GIF), Guangzhou Zhujiang Park, Sri Lanka Consulate General in Guangzhou and other institutes, was held in Guangzhou on November 19. About 500 Chinese and foreign citizens participated in the event.

The GIF established the Canton & Sri Lanka programme in 2021, aiming to provide scholarships to financially disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka, help them resume their studies, and address urgent educational issues. With the strong support of the Guangdong People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Guangzhou Municipal Government, the Sri Lanka Consulate General in Guangzhou, and Guangzhou enterprises, the project has been successfully implemented for three years, benefiting students and their families in Sri Lanka's Hambantota, Pullalam, and Kandy areas.

During the carnival event, exhibitions on Sri Lankan culture, the Sri Lankan-style market, and bilingual performances attracted many citizens.

Suranga Algewatte, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Guangzhou, gave a speech at the closing ceremony, briefing the national situation and cultural characteristics of Sri Lanka and expressing appreciation for the event and the enthusiastic participation of the public.