Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival Makes Its London Debut, Bringing Sri Lanka’s Creative Voices to the Global Stage.
CLAF London Edition Speakers
The Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival (CLAF) reached an important milestone on the 4th of November 2026 with its inaugural London Edition, taking Sri Lanka’s literary and cultural voices to an international audience. Presented by Sri Lanka Tourism and held alongside World Travel Market (WTM), one of the world’s leading travel trade events, the London gathering represented a significant step in the festival’s ambition to position Sri Lanka as a destination celebrated not only for its natural beauty and hospitality but also for its rich intellectual, artistic and cultural heritage.
The initiative reflected a growing recognition of the role that literature, art, music and film can play in shaping a country’s international identity. By bringing established writers and influential thinkers together in London, CLAF sought to introduce audiences to the diverse narratives, perspectives and experiences that define contemporary Sri Lanka. Co-founded by Ajai Vir Singh, the festival has developed into a cultural platform dedicated to promoting Sri Lankan creativity while encouraging international collaboration. With its fourth edition scheduled to take place in Colombo from the 22nd to the 24th of January 2027, the London Edition provided an opportunity to extend that vision beyond the island’s shores.
At the heart of CLAF is a commitment to nurturing young talent and creating meaningful opportunities for emerging creatives. Its four pillars of literature, art, music and film provide a framework for connecting established practitioners with younger generations, encouraging dialogue, mentorship and artistic exchange. The festival also places considerable emphasis on strengthening Sri Lanka’s soft power through cultural engagement. In an increasingly interconnected world, creative expression offers countries an opportunity to communicate their identities beyond conventional tourism campaigns and economic narratives.
For Sri Lanka, whose literary and artistic traditions reflect centuries of cultural exchange, the festival represents an opportunity to share stories that capture the complexity, diversity and character of the island. Speaking about the international expansion, Ajai Vir Singh, Founder of the Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival, highlighted the strategic importance of bringing the platform to London. “The London Edition is an important step as we expand our platform’s footprint beyond Sri Lanka, and it also strengthens Sri Lanka’s soft power. Bringing the festival to London alongside Sri Lanka Tourism is a key strategic goal in attracting the right travellers to the country. Arts and culture are an important medium for engaging a wider international audience.”
Fazeena Rajabdeen
His remarks underscored the festival’s broader ambition to establish meaningful connections between cultural appreciation and tourism. Rather than presenting Sri Lanka exclusively through its landscapes, beaches and historical attractions, the initiative encouraged international travellers to discover the country through its writers, artists and creative communities. The London programme brought together an impressive selection of literary personalities whose work spans historical writing, contemporary fiction, humour and economic commentary.
Among the featured speakers was Shrabani Basu, acclaimed author of Victoria & Abdul, the historical work adapted into a film starring Judi Dench. Her writing explores compelling historical relationships and lesser-known narratives associated with the British Empire. Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Romesh Gunasekera, whose literary work has contributed significantly to international understandings of Sri Lankan identity and experience, was another prominent participant. Joining him was economist and author Razeen Sally, whose book Return to Sri Lanka examines the country through a combination of personal reflection and broader political and economic perspectives.
Celebrated Sri Lankan comic novelist Ashok Ferrey also featured prominently in the programme, bringing his distinctive humour and observations on society, identity and cultural relationships to the discussions. British novelist Louise Doughty, whose fiction has been adapted for BBC One and ITV, added another dimension to the gathering, reflecting the festival’s commitment to creating conversations between Sri Lankan and international literary voices. Together, these writers represented a broad range of creative and intellectual perspectives, demonstrating how literature can provide an accessible and engaging introduction to a country’s social and cultural landscape.
Fazeena Rajabdeen, Co-founder and Director of the Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival, emphasised the importance of taking Sri Lankan creativity to international audiences. “Culture is one of the most powerful ways a country can introduce itself. After four years of building a festival with Sri Lankan voices at its heart, we wanted to take those voices to the world, starting with London.”
Ajai Vir Singh
The London Edition programme was structured around three literary conversations following a welcome address by Ajai Vir Singh. The first discussion, Sri Lanka through the Eyes of Others, featured Romesh Gunasekera and Razeen Sally, with Ashok Ferrey serving as moderator. Bringing together literary and economic perspectives, the session offered a platform for exploring how Sri Lanka is understood, interpreted and represented through different experiences. The second conversation, One Tear of Love, brought Louise Doughty and Ashok Ferrey together, creating an opportunity for an exchange between two novelists with distinctive approaches to storytelling. The final session, Tales from the Empire, featured Shrabani Basu in conversation with Ashok Ferrey. With Basu’s extensive engagement with historical narratives associated with the British Empire, the discussion offered a perspective on history, storytelling and the relationships between cultures.
The selection of conversations reflected CLAF’s intention to move beyond conventional literary presentations and encourage meaningful exchanges about history, identity, society and the human experience. The festival’s collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism was particularly significant given the international profile of World Travel Market. By positioning literary and cultural discussions alongside a major travel industry gathering, the initiative sought to encourage tourism professionals to recognise creative experiences as an important component of destination promotion. Cultural tourism offers opportunities for visitors to engage more deeply with local communities, traditions and contemporary artistic expression. Literary festivals, exhibitions, performances and film screenings can enrich travel experiences while generating greater visibility for local creative industries. For Sri Lanka, this approach also creates opportunities to introduce international visitors to aspects of the island that extend beyond established tourist itineraries.
The London Edition served as an introduction to the fourth Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival, scheduled for Colombo from the 22nd to the 24th of January 2027. That forthcoming edition is expected to bring together writers, artists, musicians and filmmakers from Sri Lanka and overseas, continuing the festival’s emphasis on international participation and emerging Sri Lankan talent. The full programme, venues and ticketing arrangements are due to be announced separately. As CLAF prepares for its next chapter, its international expansion signals a broader ambition to make Sri Lankan creativity more visible on the world stage. By connecting literature and the arts with tourism, cultural diplomacy and youth engagement, the festival is helping establish a platform through which Sri Lanka can share its stories with audiences far beyond its borders. The inaugural London Edition therefore represented more than a geographical expansion.
It marked another step towards positioning Sri Lanka as a destination where creativity, cultural heritage and contemporary storytelling form an essential part of the visitor experience, while creating a stronger international platform for the voices shaping the island’s artistic future.
