The Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), ( si, බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්යාන්තර සම්මන්ත්රණ ශාලාව ta, பண்டாரநாயக்க சர்வதேச மாநாட்டு மண்டபம்) is a
convention center
A convention center (American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typica ...
located in
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. Built between 1970 and 1973, the convention centre was a gift from the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in memory of
,
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
(1956–1959).
The construction of the hall was carried out by a joint Sri Lankan and Chinese workforce with a considerable portion of the building materials being imported from China.
In 1998 a small Exhibition Centre, the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre, was built on the grounds as a gift from China.
[
The BMICH premises is managed by the S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation (BNMF) which is chaired by the President of Sri Lanka.
The BNMF has an academic wing specialised in International Relations, Languages and Cultural Studies named]
Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS)
located within the BMICH premises.
Facilities
The building has over of floorspace, and is located in the Cinnamon Gardens
Cinnamon Gardens ( si, කුරුඳු වත්ත ''Kurundu Vaththa'', ta, கறுவாத் தோட்டம்) is an affluent neighbourhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka located 3 kilometers south-east from Colombo's centre. Cinnamon Gard ...
area of Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
. An up-to-date library with volumes of literature on almost all subjects is available for the use of research for delegates visiting the BMICH. To facilitate with banking needs, a bank is located near the main hall. Due to the high-profile events taking place within the venue the Sri Lanka Police
(The one who lives by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma itself)
, mission =
, formedyear =
, preceding1 = Ceylon Police Force (1866–1972)
, dissolved =
, superseding =
, employees = ...
maintains a permanent detachment and the Mount Lavinia Hotel
The Mount Lavinia Hotel, in Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka, is a 275-room hotel, situated at 100 Hotel Road in Mount Lavinia. It is recognised as one of the oldest and most famous hotels in the country. It has been continuously operating as a hotel s ...
has a restaurant. The Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre has floor area covering 4,500 sq. m. consists of two exhibition halls, lobby, dining room, lounge, kitchen and other VIP amenities.
Events
Several high-profile events and exhibitions have been held in the venue, including the Non-Aligned Movement Summit
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.
The movement originated in the aftermath o ...
16–19 August 1976, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013
The 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; ) was the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held in Colombo, Sri La ...
, and th
WORLD CONFERENCE ON YOUTH 2014
It is host to the annual EDEX Expo.
Local Events
There have been some local events and exhibitions held in Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre (SBMEC) such as
*BMICH Life Style Shopping Expo (April and December)
*Colombo International Book Fair
It is held annually in mid-September at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This Book Fair is organised by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association.
22nd edition of Colombo International Book Fair be ...
*Colombo Shopping Festival
*Medicare
*Wedding Show
*Bridal show
*Home & You
*Pro Food
*Facets Gem
*Motor show
*Build SL (Housing & construction expo)
*Kedella (Architectural and furniture)
*Architect
Organisations
Found within the large grounds are several government and private organisations. These include:
*Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute
Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI) is the institute in Colombo where Sri Lanka Overseas Service officers are trained. The Institute functions under Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategi ...
*Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies
BCIS
* LankaCert - Computer Emergency Response Team
A computer emergency response team (CERT) is an expert group that handles computer security incidents. Alternative names for such groups include computer emergency readiness team and computer security incident response team (CSIRT). A more modern ...
of the Sri Lankan Government
* National Police Commission
Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Security Ltd.
External links
Official Website
References
{{Reflist
Convention centres in Sri Lanka
Cultural buildings in Colombo
Government buildings in Sri Lanka