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AIESEC Sri Lanka President Sohan Wijegunawardana (left) and NKAR Travels Chief Operating Officer Dr. Damian Fernando exchange the MOU in the presence of Nkar Travels & Tours Managing Director Nilmin Nanayakkara, Core Committee President Kusal Danidu Rathnayaka and Core Committee Vice President Dunuke Chamupathi – Pic by Upul Abayasekara
By Charumini de Silva
AIESEC, the world’s largest youth-run organisation, will hold Asia Pacific Conference 2018 (APC) in Sri Lanka from 19 to 24 March, aiming to celebrate youth leadership, cultural diversity and global togetherness.
With over 250 delegates expected from 35 countries, the conference will take place in a few locations in Colombo and Chilaw. The APC 2018 will be held in Sri Lanka in partnership with leading destination management firm NKAR Travels and Tours Ltd as the official tour partner.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between NKAR Travels and Tours Chief Operating Officer Dr. Damian Fernando and AIESEC Sri Lanka President Sohan Wijegunawardena on Friday (2 March) at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.
Outlining the purpose of the APC 2018, AIESEC Sri Lanka President Sohan Wijegunawardena said the conference would create a unique platform to the regional network of AIESEC leaders to gather in order to drive initiatives, implement strategies and to develop the leadership they need to achieve peace and fulfilment of humankind’s potential.
AIESEC is the world’s largest youth run organisation which strives to impact the world through leadership development experiences facilitated by cross cultural exchanges through, international internships and volunteer opportunities.
NKAR Travels and Tours Managing Director Nilmin Nanayakkara asserted that they were glad to partner with AIESEC and insisted that today’s youth doesn’t need handholding anymore, but that they would support the efforts of the younger generation.
He also said that his firm also hired two Chinese nationals that came to NKAR as interns from AIESEC.
Nanayakkara emphasised the importance of youth involvement in tourism industry and the positive contribution they can make to implement sustainable tourism initiatives all over the world.
He also commended AIESEC for bidding and winging APC 2018 to be held in Sri Lanka, noting that the beauty, heritage, history, wildlife, cultural diversity should be experienced and explored by all around the world.
NKAR is a leading destination management in Sri Lanka with over 38 years of experience in the tourism industry, that has a dedicated and well trained team of 150, providing an unsurpassed quality of service to over 25,000 clients every year to experience adventure and experiential tours, classical round tours, nature, eco, wellness tours, luxury tours as well as meetings, incentives and events (MICE). NKAR is a member of a diversified group of companies (Devagiri Group Ltd), with interests in plantations, manufacturing of tea and rubber and hotel management. The members in the group include Iddamaldeniya Estate Ltd, and Devagiri Hotels Ltd. (Insight Resort).