A group of students from Mahinda Rajapaksa College in Sri Lanka has recently started a short-term educational program at E. D. Stasova International School Interdom in Ivanovo City, Russia. The initiative, facilitated by Russia’s Ministry of Education, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia, and the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka, received support from Minister Bandula Gunawardhana, the founder of the college. Seven selected students, awarded scholarships, will spend the next three months studying the Russian language, as well as immersing themselves in the history, traditions, and culture of Russia alongside Russian and other international students.
Responding to the invitation from Interdom, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Prof. Janitha A. Liyanage, attended the International New Year Celebrations at the school. During the visit, Ambassador Liyanage met with Olga Matvievskaya, the Director of Interdom, Sarath Bandu Gunasekara Dissanayakage, the Principal of Mahinda Rajapaksa College, along with a teacher, a parent accompanying the students, and the participating children in the program.
The Embassy delegation received an overview of the 90-year history of "Interdom" and attended a New Year Concert featuring students from Russia, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Syria. The delegation toured the classrooms where students engage in daily studies. Ambassador Liyanage, in her address, encouraged the Sri Lankan students to maximize this unique opportunity, a first in history, and expressed optimism that the program could become a tradition with the support of both the Sri Lankan and Russian governments. The discussions revolved around the advancements in the relationship between Sri Lanka and the Ivanovo region, spanning trade, investment, labour, education, and other areas.
