SL and India join hands to launch SiHiTa Cultural Fest 2022 to promote tourism

From left: SiHiTa Fest Founder, Producer and Director Rudhraa Nufais and Tourism Minister Harin Fernando exchange a memento to mark the event’s promotional launch 
PIC BY KUSHAN PATHIRAJA

• Event to be held on December 30 at Sugathadasa Stadium
• Will feature Indian playback singer Srinivas Doraiswamy 
• Event proceeds will be forwarded to ‘Educate a Child’ and ‘Jeewaya’ projects

Sri Lanka and India will come together end of December to promote tourism by launching the SiHiTa (Sinhala-Hindi-Tamil) Cultural Fest 2022. 

The event is carried out in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Tourism and Lands Ministry and Indian High Commission in Colombo. 

SiHiTa will take place at the Sugathadasa Stadium on December 30, 2022. The festival will include a musical concert, consisting of both Indian and Sri Lankan artistes who have taken the musical stage by storm.  

According to the SLTPB, the event will be the first time ever cultural festival of this nature and is expected to positively impact the cultural and bilateral relationships between the two countries. 

The festival will include a galore of interesting aspects such as Sri Lanka-India culture, music, travel, food, cinema, dance, fashion and hospitality and is all set to showcase these on one platform.

Another major attraction of the event will be the renowned, multiple award-winning Indian artist Sirinivas Doraiswamy, who will be the highlight of the occasion. The playback singer has sung over 5000 songs across all Indian languages with a career spanning over 30 years, working with legendary composers and releasing some popular hits as well. 

The proceeds from this event will be forwarded to ‘Educate a Child’ project and help ‘Jeewaya’ for medicine support for underprivileged people in rural areas, under responsible tourism. Another long-term goal of this project is to build and maintain care centres for autism and down syndrome children in all nine provinces.

SiHiTa 2022 will not only give both local and Indian audiences a spectacular cultural phenomenon to experience and enjoy but also showcase the mutual friendship, similar cultures, unity and harmony that the two nations have been having throughout the history. 

“It will be a massive opportunity to promote Sri Lanka among the Indian counterparts as the travel destination of their choice and a home away from home, with similar historical and cultural backgrounds,” said the SLTPB.  

India recorded the highest number of tourist arrivals for this year, once more highlighting its capacity as a good neighbour.