On August 14, U. S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung inaugurated the newly renovated American Corner in Matara. Open since 2018, the American Corner in Matara serves as a bridge between the people of the United States and Sri Lanka through programs, events, and learning opportunities.
Following the renovation, the expanded American Corner in Matara has doubled its original capacity to host innovative, free programs for local Sri Lankan youth to learn entrepreneurship, leadership, English language, STEM, and other key areas. The American Corner in Matara is part of the United States’ global American Spaces network that comprises more than 600 cultural and information centers in more than 140 countries in every geographic region worldwide.
Ambassador Chung remarked at the event: “The American Corner Matara has long been a hub for learning, innovation, and cultural exchange in this vibrant southern Sri Lankan community. With this newly expanded space, we are pleased to meet the growing demand, enabling us to provide even more resources that support economic opportunities, education, and social inclusion for the people of Matara and the broader southern region.”
About the U.S. Embassy American Spaces Network: American Corner Matara is part of the U.S. Embassy Colombo’s American Spaces network, with locations in Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, Matara, and Batticaloa, providing welcoming environments where visitors can connect and learn about the United States through programs and lectures, as well as through books, movies, and magazines. These American Spaces serve as platforms of knowledge sharing and collaboration for Sri Lankans from all walks of life to come together to engage on issues of common and global interest. These spaces are dedicated to promoting educational growth, cultural exchange, and social development through access to extensive resources and communal engagement. American Spaces organizes a wide range of interactive programs both virtually and in-person. There’s something for everyone, whether English language workshops, entrepreneurial mentoring, sessions on U.S. higher education, or discussions on a full range of U.S. policy, society and culture, film screenings, and story-telling sessions. In 2023, the global American Spaces network — which includes American Centers, American Corners, and Binational Centers — reached over 41 million people worldwide through nearly 1.5 million engagement programs and opportunities.
