The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva was established in June 1965. The first Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), Mr Rex Koelmeyer presented credentials on 23 June 1965. The present Ambassador/Permanent Representative Mrs Sarala Fernando presented credentials on 15 January 2004.
The Mission functions as the Permanent
delegation of Sri Lanka to all UN and other international organisations in
Switzerland including the World Trade Organisation. It also has concurrent accreditation as Sri Lanka's
Embassy to the Holy See.The Mission represents Sri Lanka's
national interests
in various UN and other international organisations based in Switzerland.
Sri Lanka commemorates 50 years with the United Nations
On 14th December 2005, Sri Lanka celebrated 50 years of membership at the United Nations, as a manifestation of Sri Lanka's continued and firm commitment to the realization of the principles and ideals of the United Nations. Highlighting this aspect, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in a message stated, "Throughout its half century of United Nations membership, Sri Lanka has been a constructive and engaged Member State. It continues to be so to this day." The United Nations for its part has contributed during the last five decades towards the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka and the upliftment of her people. In order to commemorate this significant milestone, a national celebration on the theme "50 years with the United Nations" was held at the BMICH in Colombo on 13th December 2005 with President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Chief Guest.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of admission to the UN, Ambassadors of Spain, Romania, Jordan, Cambodia, Nepal, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Libya, Austria, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, Albania and Ireland posed for a group photograph in the Assembly Hall at the UN Office in Geneva on 14th December, 2005.
Sri Lanka - admission to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva
| 01 January 1897 | :Membership of the International Telegraph Union, which would become the ITU in 1933 |
| 07 July 1948 | :Membership of the World Health Organization (WHO). Election to World Health Assembly; 1949, 1952-54, 63-65, 75-77, 87-89, 98-2000 |
| 28 June 1948 | :Joins the International Labour Organization (ILO). Election to Governing Body; 1954-57, 1960-63, 1972-75, 1975-78, 1987-90 & 2005-2008 |
| 12 April 1949 | :Becomes a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) |
| 13 July 1949 | :Membership of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) |
| 22 June 1951 | :Joins the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) |
| 14 December 1955 | :Admission to the United Nations along with Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Libya, Nepal, Portugal, Romania and Spain |
| 1 April 1957 | :First elected to the Commission on Human Rights in 1957, at its 13th Session. Sri Lanka then known as Ceylon was represented by Mr. R.S.S. Gunawardene who was elected Second Vice-Chairman of the Commission by acclamation. He delivered his first statement on 2 April 1957 at the 549th meeting of the Commission |
| 28 February 1959 | :Joins the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) |
| 30 December 1964 | :Becomes a member of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) |
| 17 May 1965 | :Credentials signed by Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake for appointment of Mr. R.C.S. Koelmeyer as Ceylon’s first Permanent Representative to the European Office of the UN |
| 23 June 1965 | :Presentation of credentials by Mr. R.C.S. Koelmeyer to the head of the United Nations Office in Geneva |
| 1 January 1974 | :Dr. Gamini Corea appointed Secretary-General of UNCTAD. He was also elected as Chairman of the Board of the South Centre during the period 2002 to 2003 |
| 1 May 1975 | :Mr. Victor E. Santiapillai appointed Director of the International Trade Center (ITC) |
| 30 June 1978 | :Becomes founding member of the Conference on Disarmament (CD)-assumed the CD Presidency in April 1984, January 1991 and July 1997. |
| 08 October 1984 | :First recorded attendance Executive Committee session of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as an Observer |
| 27 November 1990 | :Joins the International Organization for Migration (IOM) |
| 1 January 1995 | :Gains entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO) |
| 14 December 2005 | :Commemoration of 50th anniversary of Sri Lanka's admission to the United Nations |
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the United Nations in Geneva
Contact us at
Permanent Mission and Consulate General of Sri Lanka 56, rue de Moillebeau, 5th Floor P O Box 436 1211 Geneva 19.
Permanent Mission Tel 022 9191 250,
Fax 022 734 9084, email: mission.srilanka@ties.itu.int
Consulate General Tel 022 788
2441, Fax 022 734 9084,
email: consulate.sri-lanka@ties.itu.int
Consulate General: Monday to Thursday from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. The Consulate is closed to the public on Fridays.
Holidays observed by the Permanent Mission/Consulate General in 2006
| 2 January | New Year Day |
| 14 April | Sinhala & Hindu New Year & Easter Holiday |
| 17 April | Easter Monday |
| 12 May | Vesak Full Moon Poya Day |
| 25 May | Ascension Day |
| 5 June | Whit Monday |
| 1 August | Swiss National Day |
| 24 October | Id Ul Fitr |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| 29 December | Eid Al Adha |