PRESS RELEASE
Paris, Geneva, March 1st 2011
ONE NIGHT WITH STARS – Top stars join “badminton concert”
The Badminton Club of Geneva is hosting the world’s first “Badminton Concert” with top badminton stars and musicians on March 14th with all benefits going to the Charity foundation SOLIBAD – Badminton without borders.
Peter Gade, Nathan Robertson, Lee Yong Dae, Hans Kristian Vitthingus, Pi Hongyan, Mathias Boe, Jeanine Cicognini, Agnese Allegrini and former Olympic Champion Park Joo Bong are amongst the badminton stars who will join a joyful evening in Geneva for what will become a world’s first: a Badminton concert with all benefits going to Solibad – Badminton Without Borders for its humanitarian projects around the planet.
The idea behind this evening is to gather the top players in the world – some Olympic champions, world champions and actual world number ones – together with local singers to enjoy a unique evening of songs and fun around a badminton court.
There will be no title and no prize money for the players, who will all be coming on a volunteer basis to bring their talent to help Solibad raise money for a good cause.
“Our target for this crazy project is to gather some friends of Solibad and enjoy ourselves while giving a great show for the spectators, who will see something they’ve never seen before,” said Bajoe Wibowo, President of the Badminton Club Geneva, host of this evening in the Velodrome de la Queue D’Avre.
Fun, Music, Badminton,…Badminton music?
The program of the evening will be intense, with no less than 3 hours of show, between music and badminton. Two singers who have volunteered to come and sing for the occasion – Jérémie Kissling and Alenko will be giving the audience a glimpse of their latest albums while the top players will face each other in unexpected and fun combinations.
Amongst the special guests of the evening will be the legendary Mr Park Joo Bong, who will honour Solibad with his presence and will play an extraordinary duo with the young jewel Lee Yong Dae.
Fun will be the main word for the shuttlers who have taken the time to come between the Yonex All England Badminton Championships and the Wilson Swiss Open, which kicks off the following morning in Basel. They will provide the spectators with some small exhibition matches, face each other in unusual combinations and share their very secret tricks with the public. They will also take the time to meet the audience and participate in games and autograph or photo sessions to collect money for the foundation they all support.
“This will be an incredible evening and I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Pi Hongyan, Global Ambassador for the foundation and bronze medalist in the 2009 World Championships.
“When I heard of this event taking place, I was glad I was invited and will sure give the fans my best to show them how fun badminton can be,” added Nathan Robertson, former World Champion, Olympic silver medalist, and currently sitting in the upper echelon of the mixed doubles with his partner Jenny Wallwork.
Amongst the surprises of this evening, POL, a local artist musician, will create the world’s first melody out of the sounds made from the players themselves, giving birth to a Badminton Soundsystem: the footwork and noises made from the shuttles hit by the rackets will be recorded and turned into music instantly.
Geneva, heart of humanitarian causes
It is meaningful that the first event of this kind is held in Geneva, home of the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee and the Association of Olympic International Summer Federations (AOISF) and the event has found support from these great organizations.
"We wish you the very best for success of this special event gathering the stars of badminton and music. The sports movement is also about sharing new ideas and bringing together athletes for a good cause. I am, of course, very pleased to see this event taking place" stated Andrew Ryan, ASOIF Director who will be joining the spectators as many other VIPs.
For Solibad, after just over one year of existence, it is a dream come true to be able to gather so many artists – musicians and badminton shuttlers – for an event which will be later broadcasted for the whole world on an online plat-form, with all benefits from the streaming going to the foundation.
“In one year, we have achieved so much it is hard to believe. All top shuttlers have been so helpful, some raising money on their own, selling T-shirts and helping out in many ways, and now, this evening supported by all the big guns and all major International Organizations is another step for us which we can only be grateful for” said President and founder Raphaël Sachetat. “This is a unique show and we certainly hope that it will stay in people’s minds and give us the means to drive more projects in the future. We count on people to come and watch it live in Geneva, or to buy the program later online” added the French born reporter.
100 % to the projects
The originality of Solibad – Badminton without Borders - lies in its pledges: a will to have fun while collecting money and spend no money no administrative costs (all the money raised through this type of operation goes directly on the field) with a total transparency over the accountings which can be seen online
The money collected through this event Geneva will go directly in Solibad’s ongoing projects in Haiti, Kuala Lumpur, and Bali as well as two new programs the foundation has validated for 2011 in Brazil and Vietnam.
“We know that this money will benefit our projects greatly as we take it ourselves there and make sure that it is well used. And we are having fun collecting it, while the spectators will surely get their money worth as this is going to be an awesome show” added Sachetat.
Soon to be shown on Total Sports TV
Those who cannot make it to Geneva on March 14th will be able to see the show in a 90-minute program streamed by Total Sports Asia, rights holders of the BWF Super Series, who have agreed to be Solibad’s partners for this exceptional event.
The program will be shown exclusively on Total sports.tv from March 22nd at the cost of 4,79 US$ with all benefits going to Solibad, Badminton Without Borders – A great opportunity to make a contribution to the foundation while enjoying a unique show online :
All the money raised from this event and the streaming of the program on Totalsports.tv will be sent directly to the sites of the projects monitored by Solibad, in Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Haiti and two new projects in Brazil and Vietnam for 2011.
ONE NIGHT WITH STARS
March 14th - 8 PM
Velodrome de la queue d’Avre 12 rue Francois Dussaud
1227 Les AcaciasGeneva - Switzerland
Tickets : price 20 CHF (Swiss Francs or 17 €)
Online payment (in French) :
On site : at the entrance of the Velodrome from 6.30 PM onwards
Badminton Club Geneva -
The Badminton Club Geneva is very proud to be associated with Solibad for this amazing and unique show. The Club was founded in 1957 and is always looking for new challenges. After the successful organizations of Badminton events, namely the European Championships 2004, the Swiss Senior 2007 Championship, the Swiss Elite Championship (2002 and 2009) as well as the implementation of a tournament for tsunami victims in Indonesia in 2005 (that helped build no less than two schools in bringing together some 35,000 Swiss francs), the Organizing Committee of this Challenging project would liketo show that the international badminton community can also contribute to humanitarian cause
SOLIBAD –
The primary aim of SOLIBAD is to raise funds with the help of the badminton community, from amateur to top professional players, and to help local projects, some of which are badminton related, and that have been chosen carefully for their sustainability.
Our pledges
100% of all funds collected will go to the projects as all of the administrative costs will be covered by our partners.
Epicureans. SOLIBAD’s objectives will be carried out with generosity and a joyful spirit
SOLIBAD’s Ambassadors are amongst the world’s most famous players such as Taufik Hidayat, Lee Yong Dae, Nathan Robertson, Jan O Jorgensen, Koo Kien Keat, Rexy Mainaky and many others under the Global Ambassadorship of Pi Hongyan from France.SOLIBAD has been nominated in 2011 for the Jean Borotra World Fair Play Awards by AIPS – Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive.
SOLIBAD’s projects in 2010 : Sanctuary Care Center, Kuala Lumpur, Kids for Care – Bali : financial support
Haiti – 1000 Rackets for Haiti: to bring badminton equipment to the children in the camps and schools in order to forget the earthquake trauma and coach local educators. Mauritius – Badminton Pou Zenfan : Financial help of a Project in Mauritius, to help children from the poor neighborhoodsand give them the opportunity to discover the sport and bring back equipment and school equipmenthome
Contact :SOLIBAD President - Raphael SACHETAT : : Phone : +33660682504
Badminton Club GenevaPresident : Bajoe Wibowo: