Sri Lanka is embroiled in a controversy over allegations of anti-Russia propaganda following the World Press Photo exhibition currently being held at the Independence Square Arcade in Colombo. Russia has expressed strong objections to the exhibition, calling it biased and one-sided, and has sought an official response from the Sri Lankan government.
Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan voiced his disappointment over the inclusion of photographs that he claims depict the events in Ukraine from a Western and Kyiv-centric perspective. The ambassador stated that the exhibition ignores critical issues such as alleged crimes by the Ukrainian government against residents of Donbas, the suppression of Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine, targeted killings of Russian journalists, and violations of the Minsk agreements. He accused the exhibition of promoting a hypocritical and double-standard narrative that undermines traditional friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka.
The exhibition, organized by the Sri Lanka Press Institute in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Colombo, opened on January 10 and will run until January 20 at its current venue. It is scheduled to move to the Jaffna Cultural Centre from January 24 to 27, followed by the Galle Municipal Hall from January 31 to February 2. It will then return to Colombo, where it will be hosted at Cinnamon Life from February 8 to 10.
The Russian Embassy in Colombo has issued a statement condemning the event and questioning the Sri Lankan government’s decision to allow such an exhibition. The statement argued that the exhibition’s content does not align with the spirit of long-standing Russian-Sri Lankan relations. It also criticized the Dutch Embassy for its involvement in organizing the event and suggested it should focus on repatriating artefacts taken during Dutch colonization.
This exhibition marks the first time the World Press Photo exhibition has been hosted in Sri Lanka since 2002. The event has reignited diplomatic tensions, with Russia demanding an explanation from the Sri Lankan authorities. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has yet to issue a formal response to the controversy, as the exhibition continues to draw attention for its portrayal of global conflicts, particularly the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
