Sikh Families Invited to Participate in the Annual White House Easter Egg Roll
April 28, 2010 (Washington D.C.) - Earlier this week marked another step forward for Sikh Americans as the next generation of the Khalsa attended the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. The Easter Egg Roll is the largest annual public event held at the White House, and is a tradition dating back over a century, to 1878. This year marks the second year Sikh children were specifically invited to join in the festivities.
The Sikh Coalition was honored to provide 25 tickets from the White House to Sikh children, their parents and their grandparents, who journeyed to our nation's capital from places around the country, including California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and the DC area, to represent the community. There they participated in a range of activities: an egg roll, sports, storytelling, learning about healthy cooking, celebrity appearances and more.
President Obama made an impromptu second appearance to greet participants. At least one member from each Sikh family in attendance had the rare opportunity to shake the President's hand. President Obama smiled and said to one Sikh child, "Hey there cutie pie, are you having fun?"
Earlier this month, Sikhs across the country invited non-Sikhs to join in Vaisakhi celebrations. The Sikh Coalition and community likewise appreciated the White House and Obama administration’s invitation to Sikhs to join in Easter festivities. The Coalition encourages community members to reach across to other faiths and continue fostering healthy dialogue in their own community.