Rotary Club of Colombo East, Soundarie David partner Shangri-la Hotel, Colombo for Timeless Classics

Timeless Classics, featuring the much-loved Soundarie David and Shey Liyanage, is a concert which seeks to raise funds for two of the Rotary Club of Colombo East’s anchor projects, namely Project BEAP—Accident and Emergency Trauma Unit Centre at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa, and the eradication of dengue which has claimed many lives in the island over the last few years. 

The Rotary Club of Colombo East is proud to partner Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo for this worthy cause.

“The Trauma Centre of the Emergency and Accident Services at the Batticaloa Hospital is to be upgraded and modelled after the Karapitiya Emergency Hospital, a previous project of the Rotary Club of Colombo East. This initiative is a long overdue need in Batticaloa as the Eastern Province has approximately seven lives being lost each day and many more people injured,” says Rotary Colombo East President Indrajith Fernando. 

He adds: “We are also engaged in multiple dengue eradication projects across the island that include funding research in the hope of bringing about medical science breakthroughs in this field.” 

The Rotary Club Colombo East appreciates the support extended by the Sri Lanka Government on both these projects.

The Eastern Province, in addition to its high population, also boasts of the best surfing facilities in the world, drawing thousands of tourists each year from across the globe and the rest of the island too. 

At the heart of the club’s efforts is ensuring better healthcare for both the local community and tourists in Batticaloa, with both Rotary Colombo East and the Rotary Club Strathmore in Melbourne joining hands. 

A sum of $ 2 million has been donated to the project by local and foreign donors thus far and with the Timeless Classics concert, the Rotary Club is confident of driving further funding for this national minded project that is surely the need of the hour. 

Timeless Classics will feature an amazing line-up of talent, including Soundarie David, Shehara (Shey) Liyanage and many more individuals. Timeless Classics will take place at the Shangri-La Ballroom on 26 November, and as the largest ballroom in the city, it is the ideal venue for an event of this nature.

Vice President and General Manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, Timothy Wright, said: “Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo is very happy to partner the Rotary Club Colombo East on this project to work toward enhancing facilities at the Batticaloa Hospital and also the eradication of dengue.” 

“Embracing such initiatives allows Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo to endorse both research toward long-term solutions for pressing national issues, whilst also contributing toward immediate solutions. This is our commitment to the communities in which we operate,” he added.

The historic city of Batticaloa, belonging to the eastern seaboard, enjoys a spectacular position surrounded by lagoons, a fortress and sandy beaches that are considered a surfer’s paradise. Batticaloa however has seen more than its share of troubles over the years and the need for further developing the town’s hospital was initially identified in 2004 when the devastating Tsunami took thousands of lives and left many more in need of medical attention. 

“The hospitals were overwhelmed and under resourced not only in terms of doctors and nurses but in terms of operating theatres, recovery rooms and wards. Even after the Tsunami, over the years, it has been seen that the hospital required more development and it is in this context that we are eager to see the second Trauma Unit by the Rotary Club being completed,” said Rotary Club of Colombo Project BEAP CEO Nihal de Run.

Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo’s Room and Restaurant Offer is specially created for all Rotarians and includes a buffet dinner at Table One, the all-day dining restaurant, which will serve as a gateway to explore market-style, world cuisine with multiple action stations boasting the fine showmanship of the chefs at Shangri-La Hotel Colombo. The offer is valid only on 26 November 2017.

It is quite the venue related debut for the most versatile performer of the Western soul genre in Sri Lanka. Soundarie has performed many times over at several of the other five star hotels and venues around the world, but the debut at Shangri-La makes this performance special.

Founded in 1905 by Chicago-based lawyer Paul Harris, the Rotary movement has for more than a century dedicated itself to the advancement of humanity and the progress of society. The Rotary Movement in Sri Lanka has its origins in the 1929 Charter of the Rotary Club of Colombo, followed closely by the rapid establishment of branches in all parts of the island. 

Over the past decades, Rotary has been a partner in consistent social progress, most notably in the eradication of polio in Sri Lanka, and across most parts of the world. In the 1960s Rotary founded its youth arms of Interact and Rotaract to inculcate in young people the same service ideals from their teenage years upwards.

Timeless Classics is a musical show directed at raising finances to support the National Trauma Service in Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, to purchase an ultrasound machine for the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital. 

All remaining funds will benefit the Dengue Eradication Program, commissioned in conjunction with the Ministry of Health. It will be a debut charity event at the Shangri-La Hotel on 26 November from 5.00 p.m. onward. Considering the positive social changes sought, all the professional artists have volunteered to perform free of charge.

Tickets for Timeless Classics are priced for VIP invites at Rs. 10,000 and Gold and Silver at Rs. 7,500 and Rs. 5,000 respectively. They can be purchased during the first week at tickets.lk. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] or call + 94 77 359 6651 for inquiries.