MICHELLE DE KRETSER - Literature - AUSTRALIA SRI LANKA CONNECTIVITY SERIES

Michelle de Kretser, a novelist, discusses literature, on this episode of the Australia Sri Lanka Connectivity Series. She looks at the degree of emphasis placed on the literary world in Australia, and shares her advice for aspiring writers. In 2022, Australia and Sri Lanka mark 75 years of diplomatic connectivity. Having established relations in 1947, when Ceylon was still a colony, the ties have been strengthened in a variety of fields. With many Sri Lankans migrating to Australia, over the years, it is the people-to-people connection that has remained at the heart of the relations. The Awarelogue Initiative is marking the landmark anniversary with a series that focuses on connectivity between the two countries by featuring Sri Lankans in Australia who have made progress in their chosen fields. From literature and the arts to media, the environment, law and medicine, it is people that contribute effectively to building bridges between countries. By enhancing the multicultural dimension of Australia, their presence and contribution has seen a deepening of bilateral ties. While the 75th milestone is an opportunity to explore existing bonds, it is also time to identify further spheres of cooperation, and strategize for the future. Aimed at generating awareness and encouraging dialogue in the sphere of International Relations, the Awarelogue Initiative fosters deeper comprehension of the past, enables understanding of the present and strategizes for the future.