Melbourne: Consul General of Sri Lanka for Victoria, South Australia, and The State of Tasmania, Pradeepa Saram, met with the Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan MP, at the Premier’s Office on Thursday, 22 May 2025. The meeting aimed at further strengthening cooperation between Victoria State and Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on trade and investment, education, cultural, and people-to-people connections.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Consul General highlighted the role of education in the relationship between Victoria and Sri Lanka, emphasizing the significant number of Sri Lankan students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the State. The Premier noted that the ties between the regions continue to grow as more students from Sri Lanka choose Australia for higher education opportunities. Australia remains a favored destination for Sri Lankan students seeking advanced educational prospects.

Premier specifically underscored the valuable contribution made by the Sri Lankan community for the development of Victoria and to strengthen community harmony. Victoria has the largest Sri Lankan community in Australia, contributing to strong cultural and social connections and the State also has the most dynamic multicultural society in the country. Underscoring the importance of establishing a Community Centre for Sri Lankan community, Consul General appreciated Victoria Government’s recent commitment to allocate a significant portion of funding to support multicultural communities and programs, aiming to benefit culturally diverse Victorians. There are approximately 85,000 Sri Lankans presently living and working in Victoria, Australia.