e-Asia 2009 Sri Lanka. Feedback Says the Best Event Ever

07th December 2009, www.dailymirror.lk

e-Asia 2009, the fourth in the series of the premier ICT event in Asia is the best e-Asia so far. This was the consensus of opinion expressed by all the delegates who offered their feedback at the last plenary session held at room B of BMICH Colombo last Friday evening.

"I have attended all the e-India and all the e-Asia conferences and exhibitions. I say that from all aspects including hospitality from the security personnel at the entrance to the head table e-Asia 2009 is by far the best", India's Department of Information Technology Senior Technical Director Ashis Sanyal said.

Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies President M. P. Narayanan said that e-Asia 2009 did not end with the final session but would continue through the internet and other means of communication. Delegates from Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, and Portugal etc. too were full of plaudits for e-Asia 2009.

e-Asia 2006 was held in Thailand while e-Asia 2007 and 2008 were held in Malaysia. e-Asia 2009 declared open by President Mahinda Rajapakse at BMICH Colombo on Wednesday morning (Dec. 02) and it concluded in the late evening of Friday (Dec.4).

ICTA's Chief Operating Officer Reshan Dewapura said that Sri Lanka would most willingly and positively respond to the invitation to be country partner for e-Asia 2009 which is scheduled to be hosted by the Philippines.

While e-Asia 2009 which ended on Friday was themed "Opportunities for Digital Asia", e-Asia 2011is unofficially lined up to be held in Bangladesh to coincide with the 40th anniversary of its Independence.

Speaking at the valedictory session Additional secretary to the President Dr. I.H.K Mahanama urged the audience to be unofficial ambassadors of Sri Lanka disseminating the true picture of the country on which they had all commended copiously at the session. "Let us also propagate the e-Culture of Asia", Dr. Mahanama urged.

About 25 countries particularly from Asia but including USA and Europe also participated in the conference. "The success of the event far exceeded our expectations. By the second day our expected target for the three-day exhibition, namely30,000 visitors had long been achieved" ICTA Chief Operating Officer Reshan Dewapura concluded.