Sunday Oct 12, 2025
Sunday Oct 12, 2025
Friday, 10 October 2025 04:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The third edition of the mega Sri Lanka promotional event in Milan, themed “Sri Lanka: A Cultural Odyssey” was held on 27 and 28 September at Merlata Bloom Shopping Centre—one of Milan’s most iconic lifestyle and retail destinations.
The event was organised for the third consecutive year by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Milan. This year’s program was organised with the collaboration of Merlata Bloom Milano Shopping Centre.
Building on the success of the previous Sri Lanka Festivals in Milan hosted in 2023 and 2024 at the iconic Sempione Park, this year’s edition was designed to expand its reach by moving into a high-footfall indoor venue. The modern, vibrant atmosphere of Merlata Bloom provided the perfect backdrop to showcase Sri Lanka’s timeless cultural heritage in a contemporary setting. The two-day festival recorded an unprecedented 83,000 visitors, significantly surpassing the Centre’s average weekend footfall of 63,000, making it one of the largest cultural showcases ever hosted at Merlata Bloom.
Merlata Bloom Milano, spanning over 70,000 square meters with more than 200 shops, is known for attracting a younger, urban and affluent crowd, making it an ideal platform for high-profile cultural, lifestyle and promotional events. The Sri Lanka Festival’s presence in such a premium venue ensured broad visibility among Milanese professionals, trendsetters and tourists alike.
The primary objectives of this year’s event were to enhance awareness among Italians of Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage, diverse aesthetic traditions, gastronomy and natural beauty, while also further strengthening cultural ties between the two countries and promoting Sri Lanka as a distinctive travel and trade destination. The promotional event featured cultural performances throughout two days, along with more than 15 stalls showcasing Sri Lankan cuisine, Ceylon tea, Sri Lankan-flavoured ice cream, wellness traditions, batik and handicrafts, spices and ready-to-eat food, gems and jewellery, in addition to the Sri Lankan tour operators.
Visitors were largely fascinated by several photo-booth arrangements especially with the models of life-sized elephant family and traditional Sri Lankan masks. The photography exhibition depicting Sri Lanka’s landscapes and cultural icons generated widespread interest among visitors of all ages. Fascinating Sri Lankan cultural performances spread throughout the shopping centre gave shoppers an immersive cultural experience. Visitors were also invited to try simple dance steps with our dancers.
With its record-breaking attendance and diverse cultural showcase, this year’s Sri Lanka promotional event held at Merlata Bloom Shopping Centre became a resounding success. Witnessing this success, the management of Merlata Bloom reaffirmed their interest in continuing such collaborative cultural and promotional initiatives, recognising the event as a true win-win platform that enriches the Centre’s cosmopolitan profile while amplifying Sri Lanka’s image overseas.
