Late President Hon. R. Premadasa, during his visit to Friedrich-Ebero-Stifnrng Office in Bonn, West Germany, as the Minister of Local Government, had conceived the idea of setting up a similar institution in Sri Lanka. Consequently on 11" April 1967, a Memorandum of  Association was drafted to set up an institution called die ` Lanka Foundation' with the following aims and objectives:

In July 1968, the `Lanka Foundation' was recognised as an incorporated body under the Companies Ordinance. Two acres of land in Colombo 7 were granted by the Government to construct the necessary building, for which the FES Office in Bonn agreed to donate funds. The foundation stone for the building was laid in 1967 by the then Hon. Mr. J.R Jayewardene.     View Gallery

The year 1973 was a significant landmark in the annals of the SLFI, for in August that year the `Lanka Foundation' was raised in status by the enactment of the Sri Lanka Foundation Law No.31 of 1973, from a non-government, voluntary body to a statutory body functioning under the aegis of the office of the Prime Minister. However, the aims and objectives remained the same as promulgated originally.

Major-General Anton Muttukumaru was appointed the first Chairman of the Sri Lanka Foundation, while M r. Walter Woenne, who was the Resident Representative of the FES Office in Colombo, became its first Director.

After the completion of the construction, the SLFI was formally opened in January 1974. by the Hon. Prime Minister, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Mr. Heinz I{uehn, Vic:­President of the FES in Bonn. In the same year the SLFI commenced its adult education programme in Worker Education and Community Development.

In accordance with the agreement entered into between the Sri Lanka Foundation and Friedrich- Ebert- Stiftung, the cost of maintenance and the running of the Institute was to be met from the finances provided by the FES and the SLF in proportion. In 1975 the FES was to bear 100% of the cost and the contribution by the SLF through finances provided by the government was to be increased annually by 9%. Thus in 1989, the government contribution reached 100% and the SLFI became a fully-fledged statutory body.

The SLFI was originally managed by a German Director, and then by a German Co-Director who administered the Institute together with a Sri I.ankan Co-Director. It was in 1979 that the institute was fully entrusted to a Sri Lankan Director, namely Dr. D. Wesumperuma.

With the adoption of the new constitution in 1978, the SLFI was placed under the purview of His Excellency the President and at present it functions under the Presidential Secretariat.