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Corporate sector leaders in Sri Lanka are to be asked to focus on a largely neglected social issue - the needs of underprivileged children - at a first ever CEOs roundtable on children in Colombo next month.

The result of a confluence of diverse forces, the Country Music Foundation (CMF), Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and a group of concerned members of the business community, the October 14 roundtable at the Trans Asia Hotel is expected to be attended by about 100 company Chairmen and CEOs, the organisers said. Among the eminent speakers invited to address the roundtable is Greig Craft, founder of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, a children's charity in Vietnam and the 'Helmets for Kids' initiative. Craft is also the Vice Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce. According to senior journalist and Country Music Foundation President Feizel Samath, the key objectives of the roundtable on children are two-fold: the first is to sensitise the corporate sector on the situation of children in Sri Lanka and how best they could advocate children's rights and also contribute to the fulfilment of their basic needs through specific projects.

The second objective is to give deserving and bright children the opportunity to be exposed to an environment that will contribute to the development of their personalities. This would create awareness of the plight of the socio-economically disadvantaged children who, if given the opportunity could contribute to society positively.

Explaining the role of the Country Music Foundation in organising such an event, he said the roundtable on children was conceptualised as a logical follow up to the Foundation's annual country music concert series "Country Road" to be held in Colombo for the eleventh time this year. The concert is sponsored by leading corporate entities Emirates, Cargills (Ceylon) Ltd., and supported by the Trans Asia Hotel, and proceeds are channelled to needy projects through UNICEF, Samath said.

The CEOs roundtable on children is an important first step in this direction not just for Sri Lanka, but possibly for the South Asian region, he said.

"Many UNICEF country offices are now collaborating with the private sector for raising awareness and sensitising them on their potential roles and responsibilities for the cause of children, and how best they can contribute to their survival, development, protection and participation rights", according to a senior UNICEF official. "We would like to see the support given to individual events such as the country music concert extended to a recognition of the need to play a continuing role in the welfare of children, as an investment in the future,".

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