Night of empowerment, inspiration and fun!

• Ladies VIP Night in partnership with HSBC celebrates International Women’s Week, The Role Model – The Strength of a Woman 

The theme for International Women’s Week globally is ‘Be Bold for Change’.

Ladies unite as one at The Grand Ballroom, Galle Face Hotel, Tuesday 7 March 6 p.m. onwards!

Join them to raise a glass and reflect for all women across the world and celebrate the global festival, International Women’s Week.  Women from across a wealth of industries have been invited as ‘Role Models’ to share their story on what has inspired them to be bold for change!

Role models:

• Elizabeth-Sophie Balsa – The Ambassador of Brazil to Sri Lanka
• Radhika Coomeraswamy – Member of the Constitutional Council and former Under Secretary General of the United Nations
• Shobana Cooke – Mother/Homeopath/Yoga Instructor/Entrepreneur
• Anusha David – PR and Media Consultant – Being recognised for Animal Welfare and Charity Work
• Chandi Dharmaratne – Senior Director Human Resourcing, Virtusa Polaris
• Ramani Fernando – Founder and Managing Director, Ramani Fernando Salons 
• Rosanna Flamer-Caldera – Founder and Executive Director, Equal Ground
• Sandy Jayasuriya – Feel Good, Feel Positive – Breast Cancer Survivor
•  Neela Marikkar – Chairperson of Grant McCann Erikson, a leading Communication Group in Sri Lanka
• Jaquie Mei – Mentor/Coach, Personal Image Consultant – builds self-confidence from within and cultivates professional appearance to prepare women for success in their professional and personal lives
• Sumi Moonesinghe – Former Chairman of Bank of Ceylon/MD New Zealand Milk Products
• Dr. Nilanthi Fernando-Nanayakkara – Consultant Neurologist and Joint Secretary for the Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists
• Tania Polonnowita – Managing Director of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics; an active member of many professional bodies including Council for Business in Britain, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association, Women in Logistics and Transport, and many more.
• Heidy Rampinelli and Catherine Obrenovic – Entrepreneurs in the Fashion and F & B Industry
• Sarrah Sammoon – Director of APV Sri Lanka Relocation Services, Founder and Director at Sapphire Capital Group, Director of Evisalaw a global immigration partner in Sri Lanka and South Asia
• Sulochana Segera– Founder/Chairperson of Women In Management
• Rosy Senanayake – Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
• Linda Speldewinde – Visionary Entrepreneur – Founder and Managing Director of AOD, Sri Lanka Design Festival, Island Craft and Fashionmarket.lk
• JayanthiKuru-Utumpala – First Sri Lankan to climb Mount Everest 
•  Anoma Wijewardene – Artist/Designer/Lecturer/Art Activist

Charity:

Ladies VIP Night continues to seamlessly blend the opportunities to socialise and have fun whilst contributing towards building a stronger community. A proportion of the ticket money plus ALL monies raised from a luxury Lucky Dip Treasure Chest will be donated to help Community Concern with their projects.

Community Concern has been working in the Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia and Ratmalana areas.   The Charity touches the lives of approximately, 2500 children and 650 adults on a regular basis.  The feeding program provides a cooked meal every week day for 150 children with two meals.  This is a child-centred, non-governmental organisation that has been working for 36 years. 

Two projects that will benefit from this event in particular are J-SHAKTHI and HEAVENA. J-SHAKTHI helps to empower women to be entrepreneurs by helping them set up a small business to help them to break out of the cycle of poverty. HEAVENA is a temporary shelter that provides a safe environment for abused, trafficked and homeless women and children. It accommodates 15 women and 20 children for a period of six months or more, providing physical, psychosocial, emotional support and other holistic assistance.

HSBC, main partner who won the Best Foreign Bank Award by Finance Asia in 2016 joins hands to support and encourage women with an appetite for success. HSBC believe that the female contribution to the world at large is immense including the global financial institutions.  

CEO Mark Prothero says, “HSBC is a firm advocate of diversity. It’s an important part of our culture and so we are very happy to be partnering this event – celebrating the strength of women.”

The event will be held at The Galle Face Hotel, celebrated for its blend of historical splendour with its colonial past and independent present, is perceived as one of the most prestigious and desirable destinations and thus makes it the perfect venue and hospitality partner for this memorable  evening. Guests will enjoy a ‘sit down’ dinner prepared by the hotel’s renowned chefs.

The Galle Face Hotel General Manager Denni A. Dukic says, “It is an absolute pleasure to be a part of International Women’s Day 2017 and also to work hand in hand with Ladies VIP Night to put together a truly memorable evening at the hotel premises. The team at the Galle Face Hotel and I are always pleased to be involved in novel events that shed light on such great causes, which is a stance the iconic property has maintained throughout its 153 year old history.”

Event Producer Latika Alok says, “International Women’s Day means different things to different people.  For some women it’s a celebration, for others it’s a call for action to accelerate gender parity.  Whatever your objective, Ladies VIP Night aims to fulfil them with an evening of empowerment, inspiration, fun and all the glamour which has become part of the Ladies VIP Night brand!”  

Tickets includes a welcome cocktail, sit down dinner, tea experience by Teaeli, celebratory glass of Chandon for the official toast, luxury door gift by 1948 and DJ music and dancing. Part of the fun filled evening will include a Men’s Fashion Show with men from the industry walking the ramp! Fashion Houses being showcased are Kiito Bespoke, Stripes &Checks and Suit & Tie.  Accessories are by Official Eye Care Partner Vision Care and jewellery for Him by Tiesch. Other supporting sponsors include, Souvenir Brochure Partner, Why House, Table Décor by Meubel House, Luxury Chocolate Partner, Lindt and Skin Care Partner, Jyunka. 

Tickets at Rs. 5,500 are limited, so book early by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0778591846. Men are most welcome!

Participating sponsors will be profiled along with Event Updates on the Ladies VIP Night Facebook page, ladies.vip.night.colombo.