WASHINGTON, DC:; Gurbani Kirtan a combined choir of 30 persons of Eastern and Western Sikhs, was among the music of six religious traditions at the 12th annual Interfaith Concert, recently in November at the extraordinary Basilica of National Shrine. Mayor of Washington, Sharon Pratt Dixon in her opening remarks stressed the need for the religious community to take more leadership role in solving social problems. This music event, sponsored by the Inter faith conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFC) has become an important Washington religious and cultural tradition in the last 11 years.
This year’s concert featured selected choirs of the Islamic, Jewish, Mormon, Protestant, Roman Catholic and Sikh traditions. The concert opened with the Islamic call to prayer.
The Sikh Kirtani Jatha which has become one of the main attractions at the Inter faith concert featured combined groups of American Sikhs and Sikhs of Asian origin for the first time this year. Members of the American Sikh community based in Herndon, Virginia joined members of Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, G.G.S.F. for this year’s performance. The Jatha sang a traditional Shabad” and a translation of part of the Sikh scripture set an original American folk tune, Kirtan was accompanied by the Indian and American musical instruments. Sikhs also joined in a combined choir of over 200 people of all faiths and sang in a western tradition. Sikhs with their all white turbans and Punjabi dresses were standing out. Majority of audience of 2,500 sang along with translated versions of Gurbani Shabad Mato Har Rang Mato.
This program will be televised nationally later this year on public television and is being broadcast worldwide by voice of America in 45 languages.
The annual concerts are the largest program and fund raising event of the IFC. They help support the year round work in this region on critical issues such as drugs, racial and ethnic polarization and AIDS.
The IFC brings together the Islamic, Jewish, Protestant, Mormon, Roman Catholic and Sikh faith communities and leaders in this religion to increase understanding, dialogue, and a sense of community among them.
“It provides a wonderful opportunity to experience our diversity as people of faith and our unity in worshipping the one God,” said the Rev. Clark Lobenstine exec Director of IFC.
After travels in the U.S., Europe and the middle East where he saw other interfaith councils, Mr Lobenstine said such a cooperative music celebration is hard to find. “It’s the best developed interfaith concert in the world,” he said.
SatKartar Kaur an American Sikh and codirect or of the Sikh Jathas said, “This was the first time we participated in the event and this gave us an opportunity to display the universality of Sikhism and to show that it has an universal appeal”.
Dr.Rajwant Singh, codirect or of the Jatha said, “This concert was a wonderful experience of harmony & integration of universal language of music expressed by different faiths direct to one God Hymns from Guru Granth Sahib expressing the message of equality & brotherhood fits very well in this spirit.
Dr.Surjit Kaur, Secretary of G.G.S.F. said, “This is fifth year G.G.S.F. has taken part in this concert and we will continue to be visible as Sikhs on these occasions to make our presence felt. It brings us closer to persons of other faith. Working with the American Sikh community was equally thrilled.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 10, 1992
