Sunlight Sooriya Yathra Journeys in Search of Pure Hearts

What shapes a nation and its people? Are the values and virtues that we hold dear still relevant today? Do our children appreciate goodness in the same way as we do? During the joyous months of April and May, communities across the nation will witness the arrival of the Sunlight ‘Sooriya Yathra’ teams travelling in search of those who are pure at heart, to recognise and appreciate them for their goodness.

An initiative by Unilever Sri Lanka’s flagship brand – Sunlight; the ‘Sooriya Yathra’ will mobilise people and communities like never before, urging the nation to remember that Sri Lanka is a land built on the virtues and values of its citizens, and encouraging people to seek out those who demonstrate these sterling qualities and reward them with gratitude and appreciation.

Siddharth Banerjee Marketing Director Unilever Sri Lanka offered an insight into the genesis of this ambitious campaign “Sunlight, our flagship brand, with an over 125 year heritage is loved by the Sri Lankan consumers, and over many decades, the relationships that we have built with consumers, and the insights that we gain into their hearts and minds are incredibly deep.” Continuing, he added that “One key concern among Sri Lankans, was a fear that as a nation, we might be forgetting the virtues and values that are so much a part of who we are as a people; and that modernization and globalisation were putting pressure on the importance of these virtues, thus giving rise to the question of whether the children of today were valuing and appreciating these good qualities.”

“That heart cry from mothers across the country is what we are responding to now” says Saumya Perera, Senior Brand Manager Sunlight “With the “ Sunlight Sooriya Yathra’ we have the chance to use our brand to unify the island – to recognise goodness and to show that we value it and are thankful for it; thereby putting those values and virtues back into the spotlight and showing the new generation that we are a grateful nation, built on goodness, and that we are where we are today because of the positive values we all share”.

The campaign was launched on the 21st of March, with the Sunlight ‘Sooriya Yathra’ teams beginning their activities simultaneously in several locations. The teams stepped out into the community, expressing their gratitude to people who serve others including doctors, nurses, teachers, farmers and priests.

From the first week of April, the Sunlight ‘Sooriya Yathra’ teams will travel across the island from town to town and encourage people to show their gratitude to someone special.In this way, thousands of individuals who make lives brighter through kindness and care will be recognized and appreciated.

The campaign will go on throughout the year encompassing key festive and community occasions for Sri Lanka. “To begin with, we hope that people will use the opportunity during the days of the New Year to begin this new period in their lives in the spirit of gratitude and generosity. What better way to start a New Year than by acknowledging someone special?” asks Saumya Perera.

With a rich history that spans over a 125 years, Sunlight has always been at one with the Sri Lankan people. A staple of communities across the country, Sunlight has been a symbol of the simple goodness of the people, promoting the ideas of well being, happiness and unity, brightening lives and creating joy. Sunlight believes that it is imperative that we as citizens of this proud nation stay true to the virtues that have been bestowed to us from generations past.