10,000 Gather To Hear Concerns Of Sikhs From Across The Globe

September 18, 2007

Author: Gurjeet Singh

Source: Sikh Federation

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/europe/10_000_Gather_To_Hear_Concerns_Of_Sikhs_From_Across_The_Globe.shtml

The International Sikh Convention that took place at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Sedgley Street, Wolverhampton concluded at the weekend and attracted around 10,000 Sikhs. Sikh speakers from around a dozen countries addressed those gathered.

The Sikh Federation (UK) was praised by many speakers from abroad for taking the lead on the international stage in bringing like-minded Sikhs together and trying to secure greater rights for the Sikhs. The main speaker from Punjab was Harinder Singh Khalsa, a member of the Khalsa Action Committee, and the former Ambassador for Norway who resigned in protest following the 1984 Indian army attack on the Golden Temple Complex.

Other prominent speakers included: Surinderpal Singh (Chicago), the Vice-Chair of the World Sikh Council – America Region, and Kavneet Singh (Philadelphia), head of the World Sikh Council sub-committee for human rights. Both spoke about the recent difficulties in the US for Sikhs with the turban screening policy at US airports. One issue that emerged very clearly in the context of the Sikh identity is that the issue of the Sikh identity and Sikh sovereignty are two sides of the same coin.