New South Wales Parliament Celebrates Visakhi

March 31, 2006

Source: SikhNet

http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/news.nsf/NewsArchive/F1BEE80BADF2786587257141006341F4

On March 31, 2006 SikhNet reported, "28th March 2006, will be marked as a special event in the history of New South Wales, Australia. For the first time Visakhi was celebrated in NSW Parliament with Hon John Aquilina (the speaker) as the guest of honour. This special event marked the beginning of celebrations of Visakhi which will go on for a month with Sikh games and other cultural programs around Sydney. The guests started coming in from 5:30 p.m. and were entertained by melodious Sitaar-Vaadan & Tabla by Bhai Rashpal Singh & Bhai Gulzar Singh. The program officially began at about 6 p.m. with traditional shabad singing. S Moninder Singh, Co-coordinator of Punjabi Council of Australia, welcomed the guest of honor and all others. Almost all top speakers of Sydney were there and shared their view about the significance of Visakhi and the contribution of Sikhs in Australia since the early migration in 1870. They included Giani Santokh Singh Ji (AKA mobile encyclopedia of Sikhism), S Manmohan Singh Walia, S Prabhjot Sandhu, Ms Lucky Singh, Ms Zeenia Singh Youth Ambassador and many others."