White House Celebrates ‘Remarkable Life’ Of Sikh Religion’s Founder

Jaspreet Kaur, Waris Ahluwalia, and Vishavjit Singh at White House Gurpurab Celebration
Jaspreet Kaur, Waris Ahluwalia, and Vishavjit Singh at White House Gurpurab Celebration

WASHINGTON DC, USA—White House staff, Sikh Americans, and other attendees celebrated Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurab in Washington, DC. SALDEF worked with the Obama Administration to host the commemoration to both celebrate the birth anniversary of Sikhi’s founder and the many achievements of Sikh Americans as we reflect on our common values of equality, freedom, and justice.

“This was an important event because it allowed us to interact with policy-makers and non-Sikhs about our shared values as Americans,” said SALDEF Executive Director Deepinder Singh. “Our volunteers and staff—especially our new Policy Associate and SikhLEAD Coordinator Amrita Kaur Bamrah—demonstrated the strength in collaboration to organize an event befitting such a commemoration.”

Vanita Gupta, Head of U.S. Dept. of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, at White House Guru Nanak Celebration 2016
Vanita Gupta, Head of U.S. Dept. of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, at White House Guru Nanak Celebration 2016

The celebration included remarks from Vanita Gupta, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The event also featured actor/designer Waris Ahluwalia and music from Raginder Singh Momi, a renowned violin player. It took place on White House grounds at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, South Court Auditorium.

“Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s life exemplified his values of the innate equality of all human beings, to fight against injustice and oppression in all forms, to celebrate both the inner-connectedness and the diversity we have in society,” said SALDEF Board member Kavneet Singh. “These values seem particularly poignant today with the many struggles and challenges we see across the county, and across the world, related to religious and social intolerance, inequality, injustice.”

 

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