The Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations (SCIR) coordinated the Sikh participation and presentations at the 2015 Salt Lake City Parliament of the World’s Religions at which about 300 Sikhs attended from across the world.
In view of the Nov 2018 Toronto Parliament of the World’s Religions, a Parliament Sikh Task Force was established by SCIR in early February 2017. The task force has been meeting since then about every other week to plan the Sikh participation under the leadership of Dr. Satpal Singh of Buffalo, NY as Convener and Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia (PWR Trustee) as Secretary. The charge of the task force is to coordinate and implement the active participation of the worldwide Sikh community at the upcoming parliament through:
- Significant international Sikh presence and engagement,
- Presentations at plenary and parallel sessions focused on interfaith and intrafaith issues, and
- Guru ka Langar, if possible, at the parliament to be led by the local Sikh community.
- Task force members include over 20 Sikh representatives from Canada, US, Europe, India, and Australia.
Over 500 Sikhs from across the world are expected to attend the Parliament in Toronto. About 50 Sikhs speakers will be presenting at the Parliament. The plenary speakers include:
- Gobinder Singh Randhawa, Chairman of Ontario Sikh and Gurdwara Council, will address the Opening Ceremony on Nov 1 evening
- Simran Jeet Singh of Sikh Coalition will speak at the Opening Plenary session on Nov 1 evening
- Tarunjit Singh Butalia of Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations will be the Emcee for the Nov 2 evening plenary at which Valarie Kaur, interfaith activist, will speak
- Valarie Kaur will address the Women’s Assembly on the morning of Nov 3 and Tripat Kaur as well as Mahnaam Kaur will participate in the opening processional
- Keertani Jatha of Sikh Youth Alliance of North America will participate in the Sacred Music Concert to be held Nov 4 evening and share a Sabad through Keertan by young adults
- Valarie Kaur will address the Justice Assembly on the morning of Nov 5
- Kanwaljit Kaur, OBE, President of Global Sikh Council, is coming from UK as an invited guest of the Parliament to address the Closing Plenary on Nov 7 morning
More than 75 concurrent Sikh panelist sessions are being presented at the Parliament with about over 15 Sikh sessions per day of the parliament.
Sikh morning religious observances will be held Nov 2 to Nov 6 from 8am to 9am. For a complete list of Sikh programming, please email [email protected].
The Ontario Sikh and Gurdwara Council (OSGC) is taking the lead in organizing Guru ka Langar during lunchtime from Nov 2 to 6. Other Sikh communities from Canada and internationally are providing support for implementing the langar.
Two Sikh exhibits will be highlighted at the PWR Toronto. The Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada will showcase its award winning Sikhs and Canada Timeline Exhibit. An Exhibit on Langar will be placed in the langar hall by OSGC in collaboration with Khalsa Aid.
Vishvajit Singh, Founder of Sikh Toons, will be a part of the Interfaith Family Festival at the parliament and interact with attendees as Captain America.
Exhibit booths are being planned by World Sikh Organization – Canada, American Sikh Council, and Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations.
Current Sikh Trustees of the Parliament are Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia (Ohio, US), Dr. Manohar Singh Grewal (Vermont, US), and Dr. Sagina Kaur Hanjhra (Illinois, US).
For more information on the Sikh participation at PWR Toronto, please email [email protected]