A Message From Sri Lanka To The World

Alston Koch makes history for Sri Lanka as international TV Networks support a message from a teardrop island in Asia.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts in collaboration with the national carrier SriLankan Airlines will spread a powerful message on World Tourism Day, by launching a song titled ‘Make a Change’, that calls for people across the world to protect the planet. The song, which is written by legendary Sri Lankan musician Alston Koch, and produced by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, asks people from all walks of life, to come together and take responsibility for protecting the planet.

The ‘Make a Change’ song, serves as a timely reminder on World Tourism Day, that protecting the environment is the responsibility of all stakeholders in every industry, including the travel trade. The song has been released globally and features powerful lyrics, a memorable melody and striking audio-visuals that highlight the plight of the planet in the face of pollution, negligence, deforestation and global warming.

The song is endorsed by the United Nations Word Tourism OrganiSation (UNWTO), the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism and Christian Religious Affairs and is supported by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Addressing the five main verticals of environmental protection; climate change, disaster and conflict, ecosystem management, environmental governance as well as chemical and waste management, the portrayals of each vertical are highlighted through the accompanying visuals clips of the song. Covering the topic of climate change, the song highlights how burning fossil fuels, deforestation and increased livestock farming and the destruction of habitats by humans for various industrials purposes is harmful  to the planet. The disaster and conflict vertical is addressed by highlighting the many landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones and hurricanes that are devastating lives.

The ecosystem management and environmental governance verticals in the song, are showcased by explaining how the sustainable use of land and natural resources, as well as planned urbanisation and sanitation are important to the Earth’s preservation. Finally, the chemicals and waste management verticals provide a reminder of the detrimental effects that the hazardous by-products of manufacturing, farming, city septic systems, construction projects, labs and hospital waste can have.

The song drives a powerful call to action, with lyrics stating: “So stop waiting for the world, go on don’t hesitate, she’s waiting for you, oh she’s waiting for you. This is our Mother Earth, oh how we should all be ashamed, no it’s never going to end, so today, let’s try again.”

The lyrics call on every individual to step up and do their part, in whatever way that they can to protect the planet. Instead of single one-off actions, the song calls on people, to make protecting the planet an ongoing commitment that is part and parcel of their lives. Whether it’s participating in community clean-ups, implementing environmentally sound processes throughout a business, ensuring the application of proper waste management protocols or disposing of waste in the correct manner, the song highlights the role and power that individuals have to make a change.

Commenting on the song, Dileep Mudadeniya, Vice President for the John Keells Group and Head of Brand Marketing- Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts commented, “On World Tourism Day, we are delighted to come together with our colleagues, friends and industry leaders from across the world, to spread a powerful message about the importance of protecting our planet. The song that we have created in collaboration with Alston Koch titled ‘Make a Change’, will help to spread a positive message about how we all have to take responsibility for conserving and preserving the Earth and its resources.

The Sunday Leader
October 8, 2017