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The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Milan, in collaboration with the Italian Foreign Trade Association and Club Asia, successfully organized a Business Forum titled "Discover Sri Lanka: Gateway to Trade and Investment", on 9 July 2026 in Milan. The Forum was conducted in a hybrid format, enabling both physical and virtual participation.

The primary objective of the Forum was to promote Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled to be held in Colombo from 14–17 January 2027, while presenting the trade, investment and business opportunities available in Sri Lanka to the Italian business community.

The Forum commenced with opening remarks by H.E. Satya Rodrigo, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Italy. Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development addressed the Forum virtually from Colombo, reaffirming the Government's strong commitment to fostering international trade and investment while extending an official invitation to the Italian business community to participate in Sri Lanka Expo 2027. He further highlighted the recent policy reforms introduced by the Government to facilitate foreign investment, improve the ease of doing business and create a more transparent, predictable and investor-friendly business environment in Sri Lanka. The Hon. Deputy Minister also reiterated the Government's firm political commitment to supporting foreign investors by ensuring policy consistency, enhancing investor confidence and fostering long-term partnerships.

Following Hon. Deputy Minister’s comprehensive remarks, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board presented the objectives of Sri Lanka Expo 2027 and outlined Sri Lanka's export capabilities across a range of sectors. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka also made a comprehensive presentation on the country's investment climate, strategic advantages and incentives available to foreign investors.

An important highlight of the Forum was the presentation by Mr. Riccardo Romani, Director of Operations of Calzedonia Group (now rebranded as Oniverse), who shared the company's successful experience of investing and operating in Sri Lanka for over 25 years. He emphasized Sri Lanka's strategic importance to Calzedonia as the manufacturing hub for some of the Group's most sophisticated and value-added production lines. He also commended the strong institutional support extended by the Government of Sri Lanka and its agencies, which has contributed to the company's continued expansion and operational success in the country. Mr. Romani further praised the Sri Lankan workforce for its dedication, adaptability and strong learning capacity, noting that these qualities have been instrumental in maintaining the high standards of quality and innovation required by the Group's global operations. His practical insights and positive assessment of Sri Lanka's investment climate, manufacturing capabilities and human capital generated considerable interest among the participants, providing a compelling endorsement of Sri Lanka's attractiveness as a destination for long-term foreign investment.

The Secretary General of the Italian Foreign Trade Association Dr. David Doninotti, Chairman of Club Asia Mr. Marco Bettin and the Honorary President of CNA World Mr. Indra Perera were among distinguished speakers from the Italian side. Mr. Dulmith Waruna, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Milan, delivered the vote of thanks on behalf of the Consulate General, expressing appreciation to all participants and distinguished speakers who joined the Forum both physically and virtually. The Forum was moderated by Minister Counsellor Tharaka Botheju of the Consulate General.

The overall response from the participants was highly encouraging. The Italian business representatives expressed strong appreciation for the comprehensive presentations and welcomed the opportunity to gain first-hand information directly from the relevant Sri Lankan authorities. In particular, Sri Lanka Expo 2027 received positive recognition, with several participants describing it as an important platform to identify reliable business partners, explore sourcing opportunities and establish commercial relationships with Sri Lankan companies. Many participants expressed interest in receiving further information on the Expo and indicated their intention to explore participation either individually or through business associations.

The Forum also strengthened the existing collaboration between the Consulate General and its institutional partners, namely and Club Asia, while creating new opportunities to engage the Italian private sector in Sri Lanka's trade promotion initiatives.

The event concluded with a networking session, allowing Italian business representatives to interact with the Consulate General officials, exchange contacts and discuss potential avenues for future cooperation. Overall, the Forum successfully achieved its objectives of promoting Sri Lanka Expo 2027, enhancing awareness of Sri Lanka's trade and investment potential and generating encouraging interest among the Italian business community in strengthening economic engagement with Sri Lanka.