June 15, Colombo (LNW): Ho Thi Thanh Truc, the outgoing Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, expressed deep affection for the country as she concluded her tenure in Colombo on Wednesday. Reflecting on her time in Sri Lanka, she described it as a land of “smiling people” and expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality she received.
In an interview with Daily News on the eve of her departure, Ambassador Truc shared that Sri Lanka and its people would remain in her heart forever due to the enduring friendship shown towards her and her country. “I am grateful for the warm welcome I received and Sri Lanka has become my second home. I have experienced with you the difficult period of the Covid pandemic and then the economic crisis. I am glad that Sri Lanka is bouncing back fast now,” she said.
Quoting a famous Vietnamese poet, she remarked, “When you are here, it is just a place, but when you are going to leave, it has become part of your soul,” expressing how Sri Lanka has deeply touched her soul. She also promised to return, in line with Sri Lanka’s tourism slogan, “I will come back for more.”
Ambassador Truc shared these sentiments during a meeting with Colombo Times Editor in Chief, Mohammed Rasooldeen, on Monday, June 10, where she was presented with a memorabilia.
Enthusiastically recounting her travels within Sri Lanka, she revealed that she had visited all nine provinces and especially enjoyed the historical sites. She proudly mentioned visiting Sigiriya five times and considered herself fortunate to have climbed Adams Peak three times.
