President Obama Recognizes Bandi Chhor Divas and Diwali

(Washington, DC) November 3, 2011: Last week the Coalition along with guests from the Sikh community participated enthusiastically in a White House Diwali Reception with President Barack Obama.

The Coalition thanks the White House Office of Public Engagement and its Associate Director, Paul Monteiro, for organizing the reception and continuing to engage the Sikh community. The Coalition is particularly grateful that President Obama and the White House have continued to recognize the importance of Bandi Chhor Divas for the Sikh community during this time of year. The Coalition is also grateful that it's Program Director and current White House Commissioner, Amardeep Singh, was an official part of the program with the President.

The Coalition would also like to thank the White House Initiative of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and its Executive Director, Kiran Ahuja, for working to open the doors of the White House to the Sikh community. Together the White House Office of Public Engagement and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have given the the Sikh community unprecedented access to the President and his Executive agencies.