Browsing by Author "Fernando, Amalini"

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Promoting Sri Lankan cuisine to the world: lessons from Thailand
(Centre for Heritage Studies, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2019) Fernando, Amalini
Intangible cultural heritage plays a major role in cultural public diplomacy and nation branding. In recent years, gastro diplomacy has emerged as a particularly successful public diplomacy initiative, not only because food and drink are a central part of human life, but also because the concept of gastro diplomacy encompasses culture, tradition, authenticity and sustainability. By promoting one’s national culinary heritage, countries raise national brand awareness, encourage economic investment and trade, and engage in a cultural and personal level with the public. While many countries have initiated state-sponsored gastro diplomacy campaigns, Thailand’s success remains unmatched. The strategies implemented by the Thai government were manifold and involved many national institutes including state ministries, media and advertising organizations, finance and educational institutes. This research advances the argument that as a matter of public diplomacy policy, Sri Lanka should establish its gastro diplomacy campaign drawing on the successful Thai model to market its distinct food culture. By doing so Sri Lanka can attain immense cultural and economic benefits; foster cultural diplomacy, boost tourism and generate export revenue. Having an exotic cuisine, Sri Lanka has an unexplored potential to become a leader in gastro diplomacy. However, like most of the countries, Sri Lanka has overlooked the role of food in foreign policy even though food and cuisine are ideal elements to promote through cultural diplomacy. This research surveys the different approaches made by Thailand in its gastro diplomacy campaign and Sri Lanka's potential to follow Thailand's footsteps in branding Sri Lankan cuisine globally. It also outlines policy recommendations to increase brand recognition, increase diplomatic efforts, and engage the private and state sector enterprises to promote a new Sri Lankan national brand identity based on cuisine.
Winning over the Skeptics: Why China Needs to Enhance Its Public Diplomacy in Sri Lanka
(Staff Development Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2020) Fernando, Amalini
Sri Lanka is an indispensable partner for China in its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Although the BRI brings reciprocal benefits to Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan public has been wary, suspicious and in certain instances, hostile towards Chinese activity in Sri Lanka. This study examines the Sri Lankan public opinion towards China and its implications to the Chinese presence in the island. It is a qualitative analysis of secondary data gathered from books, journal articles, newspapers and previous studies. The study finds that negative public sentiments born due to fears over “debt traps”, Chinese immigrant labor, and ecological concerns have dampened China’s aspirations in Sri Lanka. Widespread public displeasure and negative rhetoric towards China is specially seen during the 2015 presidential election, through the use of China as a political scapegoat and island wide protests. This negative image, if not addressed, will not only damage China-Sri Lanka relations, but also jeopardize the Sri Lankan component of the BRI. This study proposes that the success of the BRI lies in China’s ability to harness support from the local public. Given the skeptic image towards China in Sri Lanka, it is imperative that the Chinese government invests in public diplomacy to project a positive image of itself. China must initiate a public diplomacy campaign that inculcates mutual trust, mutual understanding, and constant communication. The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka must transfer cultural and technical knowledge, invest in local welfare projects, address issues of transparency and build a proactive online presence. This would help China to repair its image in Sri Lanka, gain credibility among the general public and accrue the much-needed local support for the BRI.