On Tuesday, 18 November (corresponding to 27 Aban), Mr. Ali Kobraei-Zadeh met and held discussions with Professor Nilanti de Silva at the University of Kelaniya.  During the meeting, Professor de Silva provided an overview of the University of Kelaniya. She stated that the university was established in 1875 and today plays a significant role in enhancing academic education and developing human resources in Sri Lanka. She added that the university has made a considerable contribution to the revival of Sri Lankan thought and values.

As a cultural attaché, I have always believed that introducing Iranian culture requires a profound understanding of the host country’s culture and the discovery of shared cultural foundations. Books and scholarly articles are certainly valuable, and in our university and seminary studies in Iran, we have studied Buddhism. However, nothing can replace direct, unmediated listening. This is precisely what the Qur’an emphasizes in the verse “Sīrū fi al-arḍ”—“Travel through the earth.” One must go, see, and hear the beliefs of nations from their own voices in order to avoid superficial judgments.

From the beginning of my work, I have sought to build relationships with scholars and leaders of various religions—not for a brief or ceremonial acquaintance, but for a lasting and meaningful connection that can continue and grow over time. Yet the experience I recently encountered was different from all previous encounters: an experience that is hard to forget—entering a Buddhist temple.

On Friday, (November 14,2025), after performing the Friday prayers, Mr. Kebriaei-zadeh, accompanied by Hojjat al-Islam Mr. Sedaghati, met and held discussions with Mufti Razavi, the Chairman of the Jamiat Ulema of Sri Lanka, at the Kalpitiya Mosque in Colombo.