Sri Lanka cancels an LGBTQ tourism project after Christian and Buddhist leaders warn it undermines cultural values and moral responsibility.
Newsroom (12/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) Sri Lanka has dropped plans to promote LGBTQ-themed tourism after outcry from senior Christian and Buddhist leaders, who argued that the initiative contradicted the nation’s moral and cultural heritage. The move reflects growing resistance among faith organizations to what they see as the global normalization of homosexuality under the guise of diversity and inclusivity.
Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe informed the Court of Appeal on February 10 that a letter endorsing the plan—issued by the chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA)—had been formally withdrawn. The announcement was made during a hearing for a writ petition challenging the legality of the decision.
The campaign, first proposed in September 2025 by Equal Ground, Sri Lanka’s pioneering LGBTQ rights group, sought to attract same-sex travelers to the island. It was promoted as a way to boost tourism revenue, but religious leaders countered that it compromised moral principles and encouraged behavior inconsistent with national values.
Faith Leaders Stand Firm
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, was among the first to denounce the initiative, urging the government to remove officials who had supported it. He described the SLTDA’s endorsement letter as “inappropriate” and warned that it sent the wrong message to the faithful and to the world about Sri Lanka’s ethical stance.
The cardinal’s position was echoed by chief Buddhist monks representing the three main monastic chapters, who appealed directly to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. They cautioned that promoting LGBTQ tourism would erode cultural norms and bring “serious social consequences,” including moral confusion among youth.
The petition before the court was filed by Gunadasa Amarasekara, leader of the National Patriotic Movement, along with several other citizens who argued the project was unconstitutional. They contended that state agencies have a duty to uphold the nation’s moral order, not to dismantle it.
Moral and Legal Concerns
F.E. Dias, president of the pro-life organization Cultura Vitae (Culture of Life), criticized the tourism proposal as an attempt to “normalize deviance” and warned it could entangle the nation’s economy with “sinful practices.” In an interview with UCA News, he linked the tourism plan to broader global trends promoting so-called “comprehensive sexuality education,” which he said often conceals agendas that erode family values and moral restraint.
Following the legal challenge, SLTDA chairman Buddhika Hewawasam rescinded the endorsement letter, citing a desire to “avoid ambiguity, maintain institutional integrity, and ensure alignment with national tourism policy.”
Many religious and civic leaders welcomed the withdrawal as a necessary correction—an affirmation that Sri Lanka’s tourism strategy should align with its ethical traditions.
The Wider Context
Supporters of the LGBTQ tourism initiative lamented the decision, saying it hindered economic growth and damaged the country’s global image. They noted that after years of economic hardship, tourism has revived, with more than 2.3 million foreign visitors recorded in 2025.
Activists such as Niroshan Saman from Ja-Ela argued that inclusive tourism could show that Sri Lanka is “safe and hospitable to all.” Others, like Colombo-based rights defender Nuwan Roshan, said equality should be part of national progress: “If we keep rejecting inclusion, we’ll never move forward.”
The debate unfolds as lawmakers continue to consider a 2022 bill seeking to decriminalize same-sex acts by amending Sri Lanka’s Penal Code, a measure strongly opposed by both Christian and Buddhist organizations.
Upholding Moral Responsibility
For faith leaders, the episode is not merely about tourism—it is about preserving the nation’s moral compass amid global cultural shifts. As Cardinal Ranjith and other clerics have emphasized, Sri Lanka’s development must be rooted in values that uphold the dignity of family and the integrity of life.
While activists call for inclusivity, the country’s main religious communities appear united in their insistence that progress cannot come at the expense of ethics. The withdrawn campaign, though brief, has become emblematic of Sri Lanka’s struggle to balance modern pressures with deeply held moral convictions.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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