The “Tea for Harmony”-Yaji Cultural Gala was successfully held on the evening of May 21st at the Marino Beach Hotel in Colombo. Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Amarasuriya, Sri Lankan Buddhist dignitaries, diplomatic envoys from various countries stationed in Sri Lanka, overseas Chinese, and friends from all walks of life in Sri Lanka, totaling nearly 300 people, attended the event.

Qi Zhenhong stated that China is the birthplace of tea, and its 5,000-year-old tea culture embodies the Eastern philosophy of “harmony without uniformity” and “beauty in shared diversity”, serving as a bond connecting different civilizations. Today, the “Tea for Harmony” event is being celebrated across the globe, conveying the values of peace, inclusiveness, and shared benefits. He expressed a hope to work with Sri Lanka, with tea as a bridge, to appreciate the beauty of cultural integration; with sincere hearts, to jointly build a bridge of traditional friendship; with harmony that promotes prosperity, to jointly draw a picture of development and win-win cooperation, and to build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future.

Amarasuriya remarked that the friendship between Sri Lanka and China has a long history, shared religious and cultural values, and both possessing rich and vibrant tea cultures. Sri Lanka is known to the whole world for its tea due to its unique flavour, aroma and colour, with China being one of its main export markets. She expressed a desire to deepen exchanges between the two countries with tea as a medium, jointly promoting harmony between two peoples, and continuing the beautiful story of friendly cooperation.

The gala featured 14 Xizang song and dance performances interwoven with China-Sri Lankan collaborative pieces themed on tea culture, creating a cross-Himalayan and Indian Ocean cultural dialogue. Concurrently, a "Beautiful Xizang" photo exhibition and an intangible cultural heritage and creative products exhibition were held on site, fully showcasing  stunning scenery, cultural customs, and rich cultural tourism resources of Xizang. Guests also enthusiastically participated in interactive experiences of intangible cultural heritage projects such as traditional Xizang tea art and incense making techniques.

The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, and organized by the China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Xizang Autonomous Region of China.

The event received extensive coverage from Chinese media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency and Phoenix TV, as well as over 10 Sri Lankan media outlets including Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, TV Derana, Daily News, and Ceylon Today.