26 September 2024, Colombo: Seylan Bank’s exclusive collaboration to host the ‘Gathering of the Giants’ with Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and their nature-based tourism arm, Cinnamon Nature Trails, concluded on a positive note, receiving an enthusiastic response from participants. The event celebrates the largest gathering of Asian elephants in the world, a spectacle unique to Sri Lanka. Seylan credit cardholders received the opportunity to witness the gathering and be part of the event.
Described by participants as an exceptional experience combining sustainable initiatives with a heartfelt approach, the collaboration was well received. . The two-day event included safaris to Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks, giving customers the opportunity to witness the ‘Gathering of the Giants’ – the world’s largest gathering of Asian elephants – where nearly 300 elephants from various herds gather, just 20 minutes from Cinnamon Lodge Habarana and Habarana Village by Cinnamon. In addition to the wildlife spectacle, Seylan cardholders were offered access to view a documentary film and participate in in-depth discussions led by experts in wildlife and nature conservation.
The first day of the event began with a safari to Minneriya National Park, followed by the evening premiere of the documentary film The Gathering of the Giants by Chitral Jayathilake, Head of Eco Tourism at Cinnamon Hotels and Vice President of John Keells Hotels PLC. The second day commenced with discussions on wildlife conservation led by Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando from the Centre for Conservation and Research; Linnean Medal award winner Mr. Rohan Pethiyagoda; Elephant Ethologist and Former Director General of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka, Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya; and Mr. Valmik Thapar, Wildlife Conservationist from the Ranthambhore Foundation, India. A second safari to Kaudulla National Park followed. Participants noted that the discussions enriched their experience. The event concluded with cocktails and a gala dinner by the lake on the second night.
The initiative highlights Seylan Bank’s commitment to supporting conservation efforts, aiming to remind society of the pressing need to preserve Sri Lanka’s natural habitats and ecology for future generations. It also sought to educate customers on the importance of both elephant conservation and effective conflict management.
Speaking about the event and the collaboration, Asiri Abhayaratne, Assistant General Manager – Marketing & Sales, stated, “At Seylan, we prioritise solutions that bring businesses and communities together in ways that positively impact them – acting as an enabler and a catalyst for change. Our collaboration with Cinnamon Nature Trails and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is a holistic approach to achieving this goal. On the one hand, this initiative aims to boost tourism and bring foreign exchange into the country. At the same time, it provides the perfect platform to raise awareness about the Human-Elephant Conflict, sustainable solutions to address it, and also enrich the lives of wildlife enthusiasts. We hope to introduce more experience-based offers to our cardholders in the future. We recognize these offers as opportunities to broaden the horizons of our customers, allowing them the chance to engage in the endeavours they’re most passionate about. This is why our Cards are the ideal choice for enjoying heartfelt essentials.”