New American Center opens its doors

The American Center in Colombo has relocated to the new US Embassy building and opened its doors to programme participants once again.

At a colourful opening ceremony, the new and revamped American Center in Colombo hosted library patrons, Youth Forum members, and past and present programme participants, as well as programme implementing partners. With an eye on providing Sri Lankan youth the tools they need to seize the future, the new American Center in Colombo shifted primary focus from being a library and programme venue to a space for collaborative learning and digital engagement, as well as a state-of-the-art location for technology such as virtual reality and 3D printing.

The American Center will continue to host programmes such as English language training, public speaking, entrepreneurship development, coding, web development, media literacy, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) and, much more, all at no cost to participants. It will also continue to offer a space for Sri Lanka’s youth, university students, and friends of the United States.

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung joined the celebration and engaged with the patrons of the American Center, remarking, “After three years of mostly virtual programming, my team and I are grateful to be able to continue the tradition of freedom of expression and exchange in this beautiful, modern space.

“I often say that the United States and Sri Lanka are both friends and partners, with many shared values and shared history,” Ambassador Chung continued. “This is a challenging time for all Sri Lankans, but the United States continues to invest in the people of Sri Lanka.”

Over the course of its 73-year history, the American Center has welcomed thousands of Sri Lankans seeking information about the United States of America and beyond.

For more information visit the Center’s website https://lk.usembassy.gov/education-culture/ and social media - Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmCenterSL/ IG: www.instagram.com/amcentersl and/or email: amcentersl@state.gov