‘Teardrop Nation’, a four-part documentary series exploring Sri Lanka’s political and conflict history since independence, was officially launched on October 8 at Scope Cinemas Multiplex, Colombo City Centre, with Bimal Rathnayake attending as Chief Guest.
Developed over six years by Project 72 under the direction of Project Director Sarah Kabir, the series combines historical accounts, expert analysis and personal experiences to examine the events, decisions and developments that have shaped modern Sri Lanka.
Designed for a broad audience, particularly younger generations, ‘Teardrop Nation’ aims to make the country’s recent history more accessible while encouraging a deeper understanding of the factors that contributed to discrimination, violence and conflict. Beyond documenting past events, the initiative seeks to serve as an educational resource that helps audiences understand how historical decisions continue to influence Sri Lanka’s present.
Speaking at the launch, Sarah Kabir, Project Director of ‘Teardrop Nation’, explained how her decade-long involvement in reconciliation work had influenced the development of the project.
“Understanding our past is essential to building positive and lasting peace in Sri Lanka. We created Teardrop Nation to make this history more accessible, especially to younger people, and to encourage them to engage with it thoughtfully and critically. After six years of research and production, we hope the series creates space for informed conversation and a shared understanding of the experiences and decisions that shaped our country,” she said.
The documentary series presents Sri Lanka’s history chronologically through four episodes: Foundations of Conflict (1930s–1970s), The Trigger (1970s–1980s), Battle for Peace (1980s–late 1990s) and War in Paradise (1990s–2009). Collectively, the episodes explore political and social transformations across these periods, examining tensions associated with ethnicity, religion, class and caste.
A central objective of ‘Teardrop Nation’ is to encourage wider public engagement with Sri Lanka’s post-independence history and promote critical reflection on the importance of historical understanding in preventing the recurrence of past injustices and conflicts.
By bringing historical experiences and perspectives to a wider audience, the series seeks to create opportunities for informed dialogue and help viewers consider how the decisions and events of previous generations continue to shape the country’s social and political landscape.
BOI Showcases US$65.1 Million in Value-Added Export Opportunities at Rome Forum
Sri Lanka has showcased US$65.1 million in investment opportunities aimed at expanding high-value agricultural exports, inviting technology-driven investors to transform traditional commodities into premium products for international markets.
The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) presented four investment-ready value chains covering Ceylon cinnamon, specialty coffee, black pepper and sea cucumber at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum 2026, held in Rome from October 13 to 16.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by BOI Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa, accompanied by Director General Dr Sulakshana Jayawardena. Under the theme “Unlocking Premium Export Markets through Value Addition and Product Differentiation”, the presentation highlighted opportunities to move beyond bulk commodity exports through advanced processing, biotechnology, product research and premium branding.
The four proposed investments are expected to benefit approximately 21,100 people directly and more than 84,000 indirectly, with a blended internal rate of return of 26%. The investment opportunities comprise US$20 million for Ceylon cinnamon-based nutraceuticals, US$29.4 million for specialty coffee, US$7.5 million for black pepper processing and extraction, and US$8.2 million for commercial sea cucumber aquaculture.
Among these projects, the Ceylon cinnamon initiative offers the highest projected return at 35.4%, while the specialty coffee investment is expected to deliver a return of 23.3%. The BOI also highlighted the potential of DNA authentication, chemical profiling and advanced extraction technologies to develop differentiated products for the health, wellness, pharmaceutical and beauty industries.
Sri Lanka’s natural resources offer promising opportunities to create specialised export products. Ceylon cinnamon’s naturally low coumarin content, piperine derived from black pepper and marine collagen sourced from sea cucumbers were highlighted as potential foundations for higher-value products. The global botanical extracts market, valued at approximately US$30 billion in 2024, is projected to reach US$64.6 billion by 2034, reflecting growing opportunities for value-added botanical ingredients.
Through these investment proposals, the BOI aims to attract international investors interested in establishing value-added processing and production facilities in Sri Lanka. By combining the country’s agricultural resources and traditional expertise with modern technologies and access to global markets, the initiative seeks to increase domestic value retention, strengthen export competitiveness and create new income opportunities for farmers and rural communities.
‘Teardrop Nation’ Explores Sri Lanka’s Post-Independence History Through Film
