SL Consulate General promotes Ceylon Tea at Toronto Tea Festival

The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Toronto took part in the sixth annual Tea Festival organised by the Tea Guild of Canada, held at the Toronto Reference Library on 3 and 4 February with the support of the Sri Lanka Tea Board. Ceylon Tea samples from the Dimbula, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Uva, Uda Pussellawa, Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa regions were displayed at the festival, and free Ceylon Tea samples, provided by the Sri Lanka Tea Board, were distributed among participants. The two day event saw some 2,000 people taking part, all of whom were served hot cups of tea from the above regions.

 The Consulate General was able to create wider awareness among the visitors on Sri Lanka’s rich tea culture, health benefits, different flavours, processing techniques and presentation styles. There were 51 tea stalls from tea vendors at the event, including the Tea Association of Canada, Basilur Tea, Royal Ceylon Tea Company and others. The Consulate General of Sri Lanka was the only foreign Mission/Post that took part in the event. Participants were given the opportunity to listen to seminars and presentations titled Tea’s Great Trade Routes, Tasseomancy: The Art of Telling Futures and Fortunes Using Tea Leaves, Tea: Food as Medicine, Taste and Process – Decoding Your Tasting Notes, Genuine Tea in Japan, Tea & Chocolate, the Evolution of Authenticity in Wenshan Baozhong Tea, and High Tea With Turmeric Teas. There were also performances of Chinese, Japanese and Korean tea ceremonies, as well as displays of tea pots and all related accoutrements. Internationally renowned speakers were available for clarifications on tea and culture. Most of the visitors showed genuine interest on purchasing Ceylon Tea and were directed to visit the Sri Lanka Tea Board website for details. They were also given details of private Ceylon Tea vendors in Toronto and many super markets where Ceylon tea is available.