Vernon Mendis
Encyclopedia
Deshamanya
Dr
Vernon Loraine Benjamin Mendis (5 December 1925 - 23 June 2010) is a prominent Sri Lanka
n diplomat
, who served as the United Nations
' Special Envoy to the Middle East. He is referred to as the Sri Lanka's Father of Diplomacy due to his role in formation of the country's diplomatic service and has served as Sri Lankan High Commissioner
to the United Kingdom, Canada; Ambassador
to USSR, France, Cuba and Secretary General of the Non Aligned Movement.
. and the Royal College Colombo. He then pursued further studies at the University of Ceylon
, where he studied history gaining a Bachelor of Arts
( Second Upper Honours in History). His classmate at Royal College Colombo was Hon. Justice Christopher Weeramantry
who became the Vice President of the International Court of Justice
. He would later gain a Master of Philosophy
from School of Oriental and African Studies
of the University of London
.
in 1949 through a highly competitive examination and selection process and later given permanent appointment by Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake. His first placement was as counselor
in Ceylon's embassy in Washington, D.C., where Sir Claude Corea
was ambassador. After Washington he was sent to Tokyo to the newly established mission there before its first ambassador, Sir
Susantha de Fonseka
arrived. He then served in Ceylon's missions in Paris as Chargé d'affaires
(1953–1955) and Moscow (1955–1960) where Dr.G.P. Malalasekera
was the ambassador. He was recalled to Ceylon in 1960 to be appointed as Chief of Protocol in the Ministry of Defense and External Affairs
at the age of 35, one of the youngest to hold that position. Next he was made deputy high commissioner for Ceylon in London and later in New Delhi
.
In 1965 he was appointed as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and later he was made ambassador to USSR. In 1970 he was recalled to Colombo, where he was Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike
, during which time he played a major role in the formulation of foreign policy of Sri Lanka which had become a republic in 1972. A major milestone of his career was in 1976 when he functioned as the Secretary General of the Non Aligned Movement Summit in Colombo, where he had to chair sessions in the presence of some of the greatest leaders at the time, such as Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
, Yugoslavian Premier Marshal Josip Broz Tito
, Cuban President Fidel Castro
. Soon after he was appointed the high commissioner of Sri Lanka to Canada with concurrent accreditation to Cuba. When his tenure as high commissioner ended in 1980 he retired from the Sri Lanka Overseas Service
.
, serving as the Regional Director of UNESCO
. There he was in charge of looking after the interests of the United Nations in the Gulf where Egypt was making waves in its foreign policy. He had to deal with some of the issues in relation to Egypt's Cultural Treasures on behalf of the UNESCO
and with Egypt's relations with Sudan.
in Washington and was the funding Director-General of the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute
in Colombo.
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
Dr
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Vernon Loraine Benjamin Mendis (5 December 1925 - 23 June 2010) is a prominent Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, who served as the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' Special Envoy to the Middle East. He is referred to as the Sri Lanka's Father of Diplomacy due to his role in formation of the country's diplomatic service and has served as Sri Lankan High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to the United Kingdom, Canada; Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to USSR, France, Cuba and Secretary General of the Non Aligned Movement.
Education
Dr Vernon Mendis was educated at Prince of Wales' College, MoratuwaPrince of Wales' College, Moratuwa
'Prince of Wales College is a School in Sri Lanka.The school is situated in Moratuwa, a suburb of Colombo. Prince of Wales' College was founded in 1876 by Sir Charles Henry de Soysa who was a famous 19th Century Sri Lankan philanthropist...
. and the Royal College Colombo. He then pursued further studies at the University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
, where he studied history gaining a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
( Second Upper Honours in History). His classmate at Royal College Colombo was Hon. Justice Christopher Weeramantry
Christopher Weeramantry
Sri Lankabhimanya Christopher Gregory Weeramantry was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka from 1967 to 1972. He was a Judge of the International Court of Justice from 1991 to 2000, and was Vice-President of the ICJ from 1997 to 2000...
who became the Vice President of the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
. He would later gain a Master of Philosophy
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
from School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Diplomatic career
Dr Mendis was in the first batch of cadets who were taken in to the newly formed Ceylon Overseas ServiceSri Lanka Overseas Service
The Sri Lanka Overseas Service which is most commonly referred to as the Sri Lanka Foreign Service is the foreign service of Sri Lanka. It is the body of career diplomats of Sri Lanka...
in 1949 through a highly competitive examination and selection process and later given permanent appointment by Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake. His first placement was as counselor
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
in Ceylon's embassy in Washington, D.C., where Sir Claude Corea
Claude Corea
Sir George Claude Stanley Corea was a Sri Lankan politician and diplomat.-Family background:He was born on 29 January 1894 to a well known Ceylonese political family hailing from the Western seaboard town of Chilaw. His father was Alfred Winzer Corea who was an officer in government police and his...
was ambassador. After Washington he was sent to Tokyo to the newly established mission there before its first ambassador, Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Susantha de Fonseka
Susantha de Fonseka
Sir Kalutaravedage Deepal Susantha de Fonseka, KBE was a Sri Lankan statesmen and diplomat. He was the Deputy Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon and following Ceylon's independence from Britain her first Ambassador to Burma and first Ambassador to Japan.-Early life and education:He was born to...
arrived. He then served in Ceylon's missions in Paris as Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
(1953–1955) and Moscow (1955–1960) where Dr.G.P. Malalasekera
Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera was a Sri Lankan professor, scholar and diplomat. He was the first Ceylon Ambassador to the Soviet Union,Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada, Ceylon High Commissioner to United Kingdom and Ceylon Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.-Early life...
was the ambassador. He was recalled to Ceylon in 1960 to be appointed as Chief of Protocol in the Ministry of Defense and External Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that conducts and manages Sri Lanka's relations with other countries...
at the age of 35, one of the youngest to hold that position. Next he was made deputy high commissioner for Ceylon in London and later in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.
In 1965 he was appointed as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and later he was made ambassador to USSR. In 1970 he was recalled to Colombo, where he was Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
, during which time he played a major role in the formulation of foreign policy of Sri Lanka which had become a republic in 1972. A major milestone of his career was in 1976 when he functioned as the Secretary General of the Non Aligned Movement Summit in Colombo, where he had to chair sessions in the presence of some of the greatest leaders at the time, such as Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, Yugoslavian Premier Marshal Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
, Cuban President Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. Soon after he was appointed the high commissioner of Sri Lanka to Canada with concurrent accreditation to Cuba. When his tenure as high commissioner ended in 1980 he retired from the Sri Lanka Overseas Service
Sri Lanka Overseas Service
The Sri Lanka Overseas Service which is most commonly referred to as the Sri Lanka Foreign Service is the foreign service of Sri Lanka. It is the body of career diplomats of Sri Lanka...
.
United Nation's Special Envoy to the Middle East
Soon after leaving the foreign Service he took up a posting with the United Nations as Special Envoy in the Middle East based in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, serving as the Regional Director of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. There he was in charge of looking after the interests of the United Nations in the Gulf where Egypt was making waves in its foreign policy. He had to deal with some of the issues in relation to Egypt's Cultural Treasures on behalf of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and with Egypt's relations with Sudan.
Later life
Returning to Sri Lanka after his work in the UN, he served as the chairman of the Telecom Board for three years. He was also served as a Peace Fellow at the United States Institute of PeaceUnited States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace was created by Congress as a non-partisan, federal institution that works to prevent or end violent conflict around the world...
in Washington and was the funding Director-General of the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute
Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute
Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute India is the institute in Colombo where Sri Lanka Overseas Service officers are trained. The Institute functions under Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies, with itself coming under the Ministry of...
in Colombo.
External links
- Doyen of Diplomacy celebrates his birthday and fifty years of service to the nation, by Thilaka Perera
- Vernon LB Mendis Diplomat par excellence
- South Asian Foreign Relations' buddy icon Sri Lankan Foreign Service (SLFS) Career Diplomat from 1949
- Sinhalayo by Senerat Paranavitana
- We have a people-centric Foreign Policy -- Foreign Minister
- LMD Writers
- The Professional Diplomat, Deshamanya Vernon Mendis Down Memory Lane By Roshan Peiris