Kapiʻolani Community College Professor Emerita Kusuma Cooray was honored by the U.S. Pacific Command for her work as Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka from 2001 to 2017.
Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the United States Pacific Command, presented Cooray the Distinguished Public Service Award on March 24 at the U.S. Pacific Command Headquarters, Camp H.M. Smith, in acknowledgement of her “distinctive accomplishments and services” as Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka for 16 years.
The citation reads in part: Honorary Consul Cooray diligently worked to strengthen solidarity between the United States military leadership stationed in Hawaiʻi and all levels of the Sri Lankan government. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in improving bilateral and multilateral cooperation in support of the Untied States Pacific Command’s mission with the clear purpose of enhancing the United States-Sri Lanka partnership.
In particular, Cooray was lauded for her sound advice and the role she played in a number of U.S.-Sri Lankan events such as the U.S. Navy Ship visit in March 2016, the first such visit in five years, the November 2016 Galle Dialogue and the 2016 visit of the Sri Lankan ambassador to the U.S. Pacific Command.
