Friday, 13 October, 2006, 12:55 PM Doha Time

ORGANIZERS of the next month’s ‘Reach Out To Asia’ charity gala dinner yesterday said tickets have gone on sale for the star-studded event and have unveiled a series of sponsorship packages for the night.

The high-profile event, which will attract well-known names from across the entertainment, sporting, political and social world, takes place at the Ritz-Carlton on November 4, featuring a full red-carpet Hollywood-style arrival of guests.

The ‘Reach Out To Asia’ gala dinner is being held under the auspices of the Heir Apparent, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

The ‘Reach Out To Asia’ initiative, a Doha-based non-government organization, is chaired by HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani.

Qatar Foundation, together with Qatar Airways and the Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee (DAGOC), teamed up in 2005 to launch Reach Out To Asia, a 10-year relief campaign to help the underprivileged across the Middle East and Asia.

Tickets for next month’s gala dinner are priced from QR15,000 (single ticket) to QR150,000 for a corporate table of 10, while the limited number of 18 exclusive VIP seats are available at $60,000 each.

Proceeds from ticket sales and the celebrity auction on the night will go towards worthy causes for the underprivileged and disadvantaged, which the "Reach Out To Asia" is supporting across Asia. The last year’s inaugural gala dinner raised $10mn for charitable causes and organisers are hoping to surpass this figure on November 4.

Sheikha Mayassa said: "Reach Out To Asia is gaining momentum for this very special second gala dinner and with just weeks left before the event, we look forward to welcoming sponsors onboard to make it a very memorable occasion which promises to raise much-needed funds for those in need."

"The founders of Reach Out To Asia - Qatar Foundation, Qatar Airways and the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee - have worked tremendously hard to help put this important initiative on the map. Together with our other partners, Reach Out To Asia has extended its hand of friendship to those across Asia that have experienced serious social difficulties in terms of poverty, inadequate healthcare, homelessness, disease and natural disasters."

In addition to the tickets, there are a number of special tiered sponsorship packages available to companies and organizations, which offer a range of varied privileges before, during and after the gala dinner.

The Platinum Sponsorship Package for $500,000 gives one sponsor exclusive recognition during the opening ceremony of the gala dinner, strategic branding, promotional presence in literature, together with a number of other associated benefits.

The Gold Sponsorship Package, priced at $300,000, and the Silver Sponsorship at $250,000, are also available to only one organization to ensure exclusivity.

Together with these special packages, there are other opportunities available ranging from sole sponsorship of the reception or dinner to recognition for auctioned items and exclusive gift bags. Packages range from $75,000 to $200,000.

To donate to the "Reach Out To Asia" fund-raising drive, pledges can be made to the following account: - QNB Account: Reach Out To Asia and Account Number: 0035-004919-001.

Funds raised from last year’s gala dinner, which attracted celebrated names such as the former US President Bill Clinton and business tycoon Sir Richard Branson, went towards helping victims of the 2004 tsunami in south-east Asia and the devastating earthquake 12 months ago that rocked Pakistan, killing more than 70,000 people.

The "Reach Out To Asia’s strategic location within Asia and the Middle East presents a unique opportunity to support its neighboring countries as they overcome development difficulties.

"The diversity of Qatar’s own community, with more than 60% of the expatriate population being Asians, provides "Reach Out to Asia" with added impetus, insight and understanding of the various needs of the Asian continent, on which it focuses," a release here yesterday said.