On May 31, the Unveiling Ceremony of the Silk Road Tea Institute founded by Guangxi Vocational & Technical College(GVTC) and Uva Wellassa University (UWU) was grandly held at the Student Activities Center. Leaders from both schools participated in this ceremony and announced the founding of SRTI. They were Ms. CHENG Yunyan, Vice-president, Mr. CHEN Enhai, Dean of the School of Agricultural Engineering, and Ms. ZHAO Hongmei, Dean of the School of International Education from GVTC, as well as Prof. Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera, Vice-Chancellor, and Prof. Saman K.Herath, Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science and Export Agriculture from UWU. Besides, the relevant faculty of UWU and the teachers and students majoring in tea-related areas of GVTC also participated in this ceremony.

A Sri Lankan tradition——the Oil Lamp Lighting Ceremony kicked off the event. The leaders of both schools attended the ceremony and delivered speeches respectively. Ms. CHENG Yunyan pointed out that this year marks the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka. The two countries have always respected, are close to, and helped each other. Therefore, the relationship between China and Sri Lanka has also become a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation. It is hoped that through the cooperation, we will together promote the sustainable and healthy development of the tea industry along the Belt and Road, deepen the integration and mutual learning of tea culture, and contribute to the building of a community of shared future for humanity. In Prof. Jayantha’s speech, he said that the two countries have cooperated since thousands of years ago, and the establishment of SRTI will become a new opportunity for further exchanges and cooperation. It will create more learning opportunities for young people and enhance the development of the tea industry on the two sides.

Prof. Herath said that Sri Lanka urgently needs to introduce emerging tea technologies, and hopes to carry out more activities with GVTC under the cooperation of the SRTI. From this platform, we can share knowledge about tea and develop the tea culture of the two countries. At last, Mr. CHEN Enhai briefly reviewed the activities carried out by the two schools in the early stage. He appreciated UWU for attaching great importance to this cooperation. Hope that the two schools can formulate courses about the tea industry, and conduct international seminars, and exchanges in the future.