The Hotel Cinnamon Grand, named after our historic spice, is most significantly appropriate to host this meeting, for Sri Lanka is the acknowledged home of the true cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum. It was found here first and was traded even during the time of the Sinhala Kings and the Roman Emperor Nero, and notably during the maritime dominance of the Portuguese. It was this that caused the great Sri Lankan historian, philosopher and lawyer-politician, Dr. Colvin R De Silva, to write : “If the vagaries of wind and wave brought the Portuguese to our shores the lure of cinnamon caused them to remain.”
The IFEAT Conference will surely entice those able to stay longer than its bare duration, to savour some of the unique features of nature, and this together with the ancient and awe inspiring civilisations of the past epochs at Anuradhapura 400 BCE, and Polonnaruwa 1200 AD, as well as Sigiriya, 400 AD, - one of the true wonders of the world, - a Gigantic Rock Fortress, from atop of which one could actually view a unique canopy of a natural rain forest
“We expect around 1,500 participants from around 53 countries at this year's events.The warmth of climate and customary hospitality awaits the IFEAT 2015 delegates, and accompanying persons, in our “island like no other”” Egodage added.
