‘The Routes we Take’ wraps up in Batticaloa, and heads to Ahangama for the final event.

The Routes We Take, a pioneering initiative by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) Sri Lanka, Europe’s network of national cultural institutes and organisations, with 36 members from all EU Member States and associate countries and Good Life X, completed its Batticaloa activities on the 12-13th September at Dreamspace Academy. The project will make its fourth and final stop in the Southern Province (Ahangama) on the 11th of October.

The event in Batticaloa was curated in partnership with the Dreamspace Academy - a social enterprise tackling local socio-economic and environmental challenges through challenge-based learning, grassroots innovation and impact venture building. The event featured a public exhibition, live musical performances, interactive workshops, experimental learning sessions and the capacity building workshops facilitated by experts, Anurangi Mendis of Hope Market and Poornima Jayasinghe of COCA Symbiosis. 

Sharing on the success of the event, Head of Programs for Dreamspace Academy, Lakshanya Muthulingam stated: “This was the first event of its kind in Batticaloa, marking a milestone moment for the region’s creative and sustainable innovation community.” The event was a two day lineup of bustling activities in the spirit of creativity, sustainability and innovation. 

Looking forward to the end of this year’s events for the project, CEO and Project Director, GLX - Emma DeSilva, stated: “Following the successful attendance and engaging activities in Batticaloa, The Routes we Take will head to its final destination to Ahangama, on the 11th of October, for a focused engagement for the local tourism sector to utilise the digital map to build more collaboration with the sustainable, creative industries.”

Each regional engagements aimed to promote the map across wider sectors including tourism and the green economy, showcase Sri Lanka as an ethical and sustainable hub in South Asia, strengthen professional associations and capacities within the cultural industries, and consolidate networks in hubs beyond Colombo — from Batticaloa and Jaffna to Kandy and Galle. Through these events, the project successfully achieved these goals by broadening awareness and usage of the map, fostering meaningful connections between diverse stakeholders, and positioning Sri Lanka’s creative and cultural industries as integral to a sustainable future for tourism.

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Captions

1. Opening reception for The Routes we Take Batticaloa.

2. Exhibition attendees engage with musician - Dinoj M’s upcycled instruments as part of the public exhibition.

3. Exhibition attendees engage with maker, Kiritharan Mahenthiran of Craft Collective, as part of the public exhibition.

4. Participants engaging in the capacity building workshop, hosted by The Routes we Take project.

5. Experts, Poornima Jayasinghe and Anurangi Mendis, facilitating the capacity building workshop. 

6. Creativepreneur, P Sharmila, during her demonstration on innovative palmyra products.