8 November 2013 : Bridgewater, NJ— Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) was in the BC and Seattle-area over two weekends from 26 October to 3 November. On 27 October 2013, SikhRI hosted its 3rd annual benefit luncheon generously sponsored by Balraj Singh Mann. Almost 300 participants came together at the India Banquet Hall in Surrey for the event, where Anupreet Kaur Bal was the master of ceremonies and Harinder Singh delivered the keynote address, “Fall in Love with Sikhi.” Impassioned presentations were made by graduates of SikhRI’s Sidak leadership retreat on the impact of their learning there. Teachers and students at the Surrey Sojhi School which uses SikhRI’s Gurmat and Panjabi curriculum also spoke.
That weekend there were two presentations at the Khalsa Diwan Society in Abbotsford. Harinder Singh spoke at the Main Gurdwara on “Bani: The Message,” and on “Tavarikh: The Revolution.” There were over 500 participants, including many youth from the local community. “This program was extremely useful for me to understand the core of Sikhi,” said Harkirat Kaur. “No one has been able to answer my questions about the Gurbani, bowing to the Gurbani, and the purpose of prayers [before] today. I am inspired to revisit the Guru Granth Sahib by expanding my vocabulary and knowledge of the Sikh language and I am certain that this will be a pivotal decision in my life.”
Harinder Singh also spoke at the Dasmesh School in Abbotsford on the topic “Sikh Teenagers in Canada.” Gurselyen Singh attended the talk and commented afterwards: “ I felt like this program was a lot different than programs I am used to coming to. As a high school student, I appreciate the humor of the speaker, making the presentation more enjoyable. I appreciated what Harinder Singh said to close the program: You do not have to dive in and read all of the Gurbani to appreciate the way of life. Small parts can enhance your connection to the faith if you fully understand the section.”
On 29 October, JoyTV ran a feature on SikhRI’s educational work in Canada, (see video below - ED) especially the Surrey Sojhi school. Earlier in the week, on 25 October, Harinder Singh interviewed on the topic “Re-Evaluating Sikh Education” with Harpreet Singh on The Evening Show on REDFM. On the last day of October, Gurdwara Sahib Kalgidhar Darbar in Abbotsford hosted their 11 th annual Shaheedi Smagam in remembrance of the events in Delhi 1984. As part of that event, Harinder Singh addressed the sangat of over 300 people on this topic. An interview on JoyTV with host Harpreet Singh on the “1984: Lessons Learnt” aired 2 November.
On 1 November, SikhRI headed back into the US to the Seattle-area for a series of events commemorating 1984 and also talks encouraging building strong families and strong communities. That Friday, Harinder Singh spoke at Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Washington in Renton on “Delhi 1984.” "I always get an overwhelming amount of information at SikhRI seminars, said Pawneet Singh. “Digesting it takes some serious thought and action. It is important to create such avenues where the quest begins."
The following day, at Green River Community College, there was a presentation on “Community Building.” Later that evening at Sikh Centre of Seattle, Harinder Singh spoke on “Inspiring Gurmat in You and Your Family.” “This program was very inspirational in establishing personal projects that I will be working on my own in developing myself as a Sikh,” said Jatinder Singh Jassal. “I am motivated to work with my family, friends and community members in making the world around me more inclusive and diverse.”
Sunday morning at the Sikh Centre Harinder Singh presented “1984: ThinQ Differently.” The schedule closed Sunday evening at Renton Gurudwara Singh Sabha with a talk marking Bandi Chor Divas and urging the sangat to apply the lessons of Guru Hargobind Sahib ji’s actions to modern day practices in terms of prisons reforms, mass incarceration, and the right to dissent.
“Having SikhRI present in the Greater Seattle area at a number of venues has inspired our community to come together and actively think about solutions to local issues,” said Tripat Singh, member of SikhRI’s board of advisors and coordinator for the Seattle portion of the tour. “Whether it is Sikhi education for youth or examining what lessons history can teach us, SikhRI's thoughtful and engaging presentations this past weekend were a transformative experience for all attending.”
JoytvNews - Faith Education Sikhism
Contacts:
Canada: Lali Pawa | [email protected] | 604.505.0502
USA: Manroop Kaur | [email protected] | 908.947.0337